


Fireside Stories

by BronzeDragon13



Series: Fire House Collection [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Hurt/Comfort, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:02:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 58,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23087467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BronzeDragon13/pseuds/BronzeDragon13
Summary: A collection of stories highlighting the workings of the 118 fire family.
Relationships: Athena Grant/Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Henrietta "Hen" Wilson/Karen Wilson, Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han
Series: Fire House Collection [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704040
Comments: 386
Kudos: 744
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	1. Chapter 1

**08\. Premature**

Chimney wished he could cry.

At this point, he had exhausted his tears, and his eyes had been red for the past three days. Maddie was no better. The team had been a godsend; between coordinating times to visit them in the hospital, dropping off clothing or food, even offering company or a shoulder to cry on. Eddie had been by earlier to drop off the dinner that Bobby had made. Hen and Buck had just gotten off. 

At his insistence, Buck was with Maddie. His wife had broken down in tears when her brother entered the room, and with a speed not often associated with him, Buck moved to hug her, whispering words that he couldn’t make out. Hen was with him, standing by the window looking into the NICU. His little girl was there, surrounded by wires, peacefully sleeping at this point. He wanted to hold her, touch her, anything more than the fleeting touch of her foot that he got before she was whisked away in the incubator. 

The baby had come eight weeks early; the doctors were honest that situation wasn’t ideal, but optimistic, that his kid would eventually come home. But she wouldn’t come home when Maddie did. So, for the next few weeks, they would, once again, be living at the hospital.

“She’s going to be okay, Chim.” Hen said gently. “These doctors are some of the best in the state, she’s in good hands.” Chimney nodded, throat tight as he saw a nurse pass by his daughter, check on the various lines attached to her, and then switch the incubator next to her.

“I know she’s going to be okay, I just-I want my daughter, Hen, we didn’t even get to hold her.” Hen turned and wrapped him up in a hug, rubbing his back, gently swaying from side to side. 

“Of course, she is, she’s got Buckley and Han genes in her. Her dad survived a piece of rebar through his head, her mom is a total badass, and her uncle made it through three separate near-death experiences.” She pulled back just enough to look at his face. Chim wasn’t ashamed of the tears that were brimming at the corner of his eyes. “She’s gonna be just fine, Chim, she knows that she’s got an entire crew pulling for her. All she needs is a little time to catch-up.” Hen didn’t mind when he requested to stay a little longer, gaze hungry, as he kept watch over his newborn.


	2. Chapter 2

**107\. Tender**

Buck enjoyed the privacy of his apartment solely for the fact that he could curl up in his bed, protected from view in the loft, and attempt to breathe through the worst of the pain in his leg.

It had been a long week, filled with even longer and stranger calls, all that required him to put his body through the ringer. Tylenol had been the most helpful, and when that wasn’t enough, he used Tiger Balm or Deep Heat to take the edge off. During his time with the physical therapist, she had warned that the pain might not go away; it might lessen with time and in intensity, but it would forever be there. Especially if it was aggravated by hard word or the weather. He’d been on his feet for 90% of his shifts and it had been unusually cold the last four days.

So, Buck was hurting, and curling up in private to try and feel better seemed like a good option for the time being. His phone buzzed, the contact showing it was Eddie, and Buck hit accept before putting it on speaker. “Hey.” He said, attempting to stretch his leg out, only for the pain to zing up to his hip, and nope, that was a bad idea. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering, well, Chris was wondering if you wanted to come over for a movie night? We got the next two days off, we could make it a movie and sleepover, if you wanted.” Eddie said. He could hear Chris giggling in the background.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Buck answered, slowly moving to sit up in the bed, “I just need to grab a few things, give me an hour?” Eddie replied in the affirmative, Christopher laughing in excitement, and then the call ended.

Getting a bag ready was slow work, and the stairs were a struggle, but he managed to lock up his apartment and get to the car. Thankfully, traffic was light, and he made it to Eddie’s forty minutes later. Trying to minimize the limping in his leg, he used his key to enter, and quickly dropped his bag to greet Christopher. “Hey bud,” Buck said, smiling, lighting up as Chris giggled and wrapped his arms around his neck.

“I missed you!”

“You saw him on Monday, mijo,” Eddie chuckled as he walked over.

“That’s too long!” Chris repeated.

They made their way into the living room, Buck listening with attention, and soon pizza was ordered and the movie screen was loaded up. His attention to his leg waned, probably due to his interaction with the Diaz boys, but as the night went on, the pain slowly increased. As Chris went to get ready for bed, Buck stood to help Eddie with the plates, and groaned as his leg buckled.

“You alright?” Eddie asked, dropping the plates on the table and coming back to him. “Is your leg acting up?”

“It’s just sore,” Buck grit out. “Really sore.” Eddie frowned.

“Why didn’t you say anything? I could have helped.”

“We were having a good time; I didn’t want to ruin it.” Buck said. Eddie rolled his eyes and gently pushed him back to the couch.

“Sit here and don’t move. We can still have a good time, Buck, but I would rather you not be in pain for that when I can help.” Eddie walked to his bedroom, returning after a few moments, heating pad in hand. “Get comfortable, is it just the calf or is it up to your hip?”

“Just the calf.” Buck told him. Eddie propped him up on the couch, managing his leg and the heating pad, then settling himself on the other unoccupied part of the cushion.

“Alright, Chris is almost done, then I think it’s time to finish this movie. You need any pain meds?” Eddie asked.

“Nah, this is good.” Buck waved off. It was true, the heating pad was doing wonders at reducing the pain. The sound of crutches against the floor announced Chris’s arrival and the little boy didn’t blink at Buck’s new position. Just curled up against his side, jokingly poking his dad with one of his crutches. By the end of the movie, Chris was asleep against him, Eddie stretched out behind him, and the pain in his leg was a distant memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave a comment or kudos if you want :)


	3. Chapter 3

**46\. Speculate**

“When was the last time you talked to him?” Bobby asked gently. It had been on all of their minds since Maddie had stormed the station, furious, only to grab Buck and pull him into one of the empty conference rooms. Later, when Buck had been pummeling the boxing bag, Bobby had gotten it out of him: his father was coming to town and wanted to see both of his children for the first time in over a decade.

“Like, the last time that I talked to him? When I was leaving for South America. He wasn’t thrilled, was terrified actually, but I think that was due to Maddie already being gone.” Buck said. “I didn’t really think about it at the time, since I was being a rebellious little shit, and just left. Grabbed my stuff, got a plane ticket, he almost locked me in my room to keep me in the house. We had an argument just before I signed up for the SEALs and didn’t talk for years.” His youngest firefighter frowned down at vegetables he was helping prepare for dinner.

“I’m sure he’s forgiven you, Buck.” Bobby said. Buck gave him a wiry look before looking down at the cutting board. An unsuspecting carrot was the victim to a particularly harsh chop.

“We both ended the phone call screaming at each other. He told me that I was ruining my life and needed to come home and get my head on straight; I told him that he needed to butt out and not try and control me like he did Maddie.” Bobby winced as Buck shook his head. “Then he just fell off the face of the earth. How he got in touch with Maddie is beyond me.”

“When are you meeting him?” Bobby asked him a few minutes later; he kept his gaze on the pots, knowing that Buck felt more at ease talking about things when he wasn’t being directly stared at.

“Friday night, he wants to do dinner, Maddie refused to have him at either of our places.” Buck replied. “There’s this little dinner between our work places, so we figured that that is the safest option.” Bobby nodded. No one was going to forget the hellish scene left at Maddie’s old apartment when someone undesirable followed Chimney home. He wanted to ask more questions, knew that everyone did, but he held his tongue. There was a reason that they didn’t know much about the Buckley family. He didn’t need to be a genius to point out that at Buck had yet to mention his mother during the conversation, or any conversation, actually. “I just…I have no clue what to tell him.”

At times like this, Bobby was keenly aware of how young Buck was. He had joined at the cusp of twenty-four, and now, nearly five years later, Bobby still saw that young kid that turned up on the station steps. Eager to please, eager to throw himself into anything, and quick to dismiss his own misgivings about the situation if he felt that they didn’t matter.

“I think that you can tell him whatever you want to and he’ll understand. Have you talked to Maddie about how you’re feeling about this? Or Eddie?”

That relationship was still new, still at the teasing stage for Hen and Chimney, but anyone could see how happy Buck and Eddie were.

“He wanted to go with me; I asked him not to.” Bobby opened his mouth, surprised, and Buck rushed to explain. “My dad is old school, Bobby, I’m not ashamed of Eddie, I just want him out of the inevitable argument. I wasn’t out when I last talked to him and I was never with any guys in Pennsylvania.” Buck bit his lip and shrugged. “He can get mean when he’s forced with something new, and there’s going to be enough for the three of us to talk about, I don’t want to give him any more ammunition.”

The two focused on dinner, letting the soft sounds of the station wash over them, before Bobby spoke up. “Well, just so you know, I’m free Friday night. So is Athena. And if things start to go south, you text me.” Bobby told him. Buck frowned and Bobby knocked his shoulder with his before continuing. “I’m not going to let him walk over you, Evan, so if you need help, ask for it.” Buck stared at him for a long moment before nodding.

“Thanks.” He said softly. Bobby smiled. “…Eddie is going to be sitting in the parking lot. I got him to agree to let it just be Maddie and I in the restaurant, but he wanted to be close.” He glanced out of the corner of his eye. “So, if you are bored, you could keep him company.” Bobby laughed.

“What about Chimney? Is he staying out of this?”

“Nope. He somehow managed to let Maddie agree to him being inside and sitting at another table. Knowing him, he’s going to show up with some stupid disguise.” This time, both of them laughed, the previously somber mood fading away for the time being.


	4. Chapter 4

**77\. Leash**

Buck wasn’t clear on what had decided to wake him up, only acknowledging that he was suddenly staring up at the ceiling with hazy, sleep filled eyes, before a whine and a few gentle licks to his face brought him to the present. Argo, ever the early riser, whined at him again from her spot on the bed.

Argo had been a surprise; when he went to the shelter, at Chimney’s gentle prodding, he hadn’t planned on leaving with a new companion, but Argo was a good fit. She was a young Black Labrador, just shy of two years old, and instantly gravitated towards him at the shelter. He ended up spending the afternoon there, the first time he willingly spent more than an hour out of his apartment since the tsunami, and for all her energy, Argo never once ignored a command he gave her. A week later, he returned and left with a dog and sent a picture to the group chat he was in. Argo, perched happily in his passenger seat with the caption ‘Say hello to my new co-pilot’. His phone buzzed all morning asking for more photos and the coordination of times and places for a chance to meet her. 

Christopher loved her, ever amused and delighted by her love for playing, and she was gentle with him in a way that made him, and Eddie, all gooey inside. There were other areas that Argo was helping with, areas that he hadn’t let the rest of his friends see if he could avoid it; the nightmares and anxieties, the periods of pain, the times when getting out of bed was too much to accomplish. Argo preferred to sleep with him as opposed to the two beds she had downstairs and, in the bedroom, curled up tight against his chest, waking him up in the morning with enthusiastic licks and barks. 

She forced him to get outside for daily walks, which helped with his leg, and seemed to have a second sense of when he was getting overwhelmed; she was protective in public, often putting herself in between him and whatever crowds they were going by. The team was on board with the idea of him becoming a pet owner immediately. They slowly watched and noted as the dark circles under his eyes faded, as the weight he had lost gradually returned, how smiles and laughs came easier than weeks earlier. 

“I thought we had a deal on not getting up before seven?” Buck joked as Argo planted her front paws on his chest, resting her head against his face, barking again. Her tail knocked against his knee as she whined. “Alright, alright, I’m up, let me get dressed and we can go.” That seemed to do the trick as she bounced off the bed, circling around his legs, before trotting down the stairs. Buck went through his morning routine, throwing on a pair of jeans and a shirt, quickly washing his face and brushing his teeth. He almost swallowed a mouth full of toothpaste as Argo scratched at the door, clearly impatient, and shook his head as he spat and rinsed his mouth. 

Thankfully, his apartment was close to some walking trails, and Argo had picked up basic obedience commands that kept her, and others, safe. They kept an easy pace, Buck smiling at those he passed, Argo occasionally turning her head to look at them, before returning to face ahead. They stopped for a quick break at the halfway point; he was improving on his walking distance, but he still had a way to go recovery wise, and he got tired. Buck planned ahead for these rest breaks.

There was a small, fenced dog area where people could let their dogs run around and play without causing chaos to the walking trails. The fenced in area was empty this morning and Argo started to get excited as she spotted where they were going. Buck pulled out one of her toys, a heavy-duty tennis ball, from the small backpack he carried with him. They played for the next twenty minutes until more people started to come; Buck quickly called Argo over and leashed her before leaving the area as another owner and a meaner, smaller dog known for causing trouble, entered the park. Argo was panting by the time they entered the apartment. He refilled her water, got breakfast going for the two of them, and smiled as his door clicked open.

“Buck!” Christopher shouted out as he walked in. He grinned at Argo, but didn’t try to pet her yet as she continued to eat. 

“Morning, superman!” Buck said as the boy hugged his legs. Eddie was close behind him, setting down a familiar backpack on the couch, before giving him the rundown. 

“Alright, snacks and some Legos are in there, along with some books.” He put his hands in his pockets. “We’re on a Magic Treehouse kick at the moment.” Eddie perked up when he saw the light flush on Buck’s face. “Good walk?” 

“It was nice,” Buck said. “Would be better if we didn’t have to go out at the crack of dawn.” He muttered at Argo. Said dog, who was currently getting her morning pets from Christopher, seemed to give him a look that clearly read, ‘who, me?’. Eddie laughed.

“Nah, you can’t spend the day in bed, Argo clearly knows that.” He said it in a lighthearted matter, but Buck knew that Eddie had been worried in the past; getting out of bed had been hard when he got out of the hospital. Eddie often had to drag him out for the simplest of things. That he did so now, of his own will and with a smile, had relieved Eddie and the rest of their team immensely.

“Well, she does run the place.” Buck shot back. They chatted for a few more minutes before Eddie had to go, promising to be back later that evening. With calls to stay safe, and a final round of hugs and pets for Christopher and Argo, Eddie left. Stretching out on the couch, Christopher on one side, Argo on the other, Buck relaxed as Christopher detailed their plans for the day. He could get used to this new routine, at least for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some fluff because the next couple of chapters are going to be rough...


	5. Chapter 5

**19\. Acquaintance**

“You’re being ridiculous!” He shouted, taking two steps before backing up as Buck stepped in between him and Maddie. “Why didn’t you call me?” Maddie rolled her eyes.

“When should we have called you, dad? When I was getting abused by Doug? When Evan almost died, no less than three separate occasions, or how about when I was dying? We didn’t have any contact information, and honestly, the two of us were a little preoccupied at the time.” Maddie snarled.

Buck knew it was going to end like this, he just knew it. At least they were currently hashing it out in the back-parking lot, hidden from the road, and he could still spot Eddie’s truck from the corner of his eye.

“I think you need to leave.” Buck said. It wasn’t a suggestion; their father had slowly gotten more and more irritable as the night went on, pressing Maddie and he for answers, half blaming and reassuring Maddie for her time with Doug, while simultaneously ribbing Buck for washing out of the SEALs and then cutting him out from his life. He still hadn’t mentioned why he had come to talk to them.

“You don’t give the orders around here, Evan.” He said, pointing a finger in his face. “Mind your tone.” Buck narrowed his eyes. Images of a younger him receiving the same treatment flashed through his mind for a second before he steeled himself.

“I have been all night, not that you’ve noticed, and I’m not a kid anymore. You’re the one that came all the way out here to talk to us, and then spent the whole time insulting us. I’m not sure what you’re trying to achieve here, but I’m over it, Maddie is over it, and now you need to leave.” Distantly, he heard the sounds of car doors opening.

“Buck, come on, let’s go.” Maddie said. Their father stepped closer, and Maddie, his tiny big sister, tried to grab his arm and pull him away. “Evan, please.”

“I thought you would have grown up. I thought you would have realized that I could have helped you.” Mr. Buckley started. “Now, I see that you’re still the same hot mess you were back then. Such a shame.”

“Everything alright over here?” Athena’s voice called out. Her voice was calm, as usual, but Buck had been around Athena long enough to know that she was using her ‘don’t try and mess with me’ tone that usually ended up with someone in handcuffs.

“Everything’s fine, Sergeant Grant,” Buck replied, not taking his eyes off his father, who was surprised that Buck knew the cop. If Athena was bothered by him using her official title, she didn’t show it. “We were just finishing up.”

“No surprise that you know the local cops. Get in trouble that much?” Mr. Buckley asked. Athena snorted.

“I should hope he knows my name; we work together often enough.” Athena said.

Maddie pulled his arm again and Buck let her. Still keeping himself between the two, he guided Maddie over to the cars; his Jeep was in the middle of Eddie’s truck and Athena’s SUV, Eddie now standing outside on the driver’s side, joined by Bobby and Chim. Eddie’s face was pinched and his arms came up to bring him into a hug.

“I don’t care if I’m making a scene!” Came a shout, and ya, there it was. There was the familiar tone he was used to hearing. “Evan! Evan, get over here!” Buck gently nudged Maddie over to Chimney.

“Stay here.” He said, turning to look back, registering that Eddie was now flanking him, hand pressed against the low swoop of his back.

“We’re not done.” Mr. Buckley said. He sounded wrecked, desperate, and Buck didn’t even want to start unpacking that.

“We are. You’ve said, and done, enough tonight to know that the two of us were right in not contacting you. You asked for one dinner, we agreed, and now it’s over. Leave, go back to wherever it was that you came from, and go back to ignoring us for the next ten years.” Buck told him. Mr. Buckley shook his head.

“I don’t have ten years.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“I don’t have ten years because I’m dying, Evan!” He screamed. Eddie’s hand clenched on his skin, he noted Athena was now coming over to flank his open side, and all he could do was stare at his father.

“So that’s why you finally tracked us down.” He said evenly. “Not to address any of the other crap you did, but just to let us know that you’re dying.” He nodded. “Well, consider us notified, now get out.”

“No, we need to talk about this. We need to discuss options, Evan, I need you to- “Eddie, who had been a silent presence up until this point, cut him off.

“He doesn’t need to do anything for you. He doesn’t owe you a single thing.” His voice was firm, bordering on that old hint of Army order, and Buck loved him for it. Mr. Buckley glared at him, dropped his eyes down to where Eddie was touching him, then back to Buck, lip curling up.

“I should have known that you would do something like this.”

“Like what? Tell you no to your face?”

“Be with someone outside of what is allowed.” Athena frowned, mouth open to argue, Eddie’s opening to jump in, before Buck’s mouth went off and his brain let it.

“Wonder who I learned that from, can’t be the same guy that was always preaching that you don’t spank your kids, while you were giving me and Mads plenty of hits for the simplest of things.” Buck said. “My dating life is none of your concern. You dying, and your sudden desire to want to be a part of our life, is not my concern.”

“We have the same blood type.” Mr. Buckley said, desperately, hands shaking. “It’s a transplant, that’s all, I just need your help and I can leave you alone.” Eddie pulled him closer, shifting their positions so that he was in front of Buck; Athena mirrored him. From behind him, he heard someone walking across the pavement, before a set of arms wrapped around his waist. Maddie rested her head against his back, hands moving to intertwine with his.

“He’s not something you can take body parts from.” Eddie snarled. “He asked you, politely, to leave. You refused. He asked you, again, politely, to leave, and you still said no. Now, we,” He point to himself, Athena, and then motioned behind him, where Bobby and Chimney were standing. “Are telling you to leave. Leave Maddie and Buck alone.”

“They’re mine. We aren’t done talking.”

“We haven’t been anything to you in years. You dying doesn’t change how we feel.” Maddie shouted, peeking her head out from behind him. “Evan doesn’t owe you anything and I want you gone.” Mr. Buckley stood there, clearly knowing that he was outnumbered, before fixing such a glare on Buck that he was surprised he didn’t start smoking.

“I want you to remember this, when you refused to help your father, that you’re the reason I’m dead.” He spat out; eyes wet. Had he been younger, Buck would have given in. Well, he wasn’t so young anymore, and he had a whole crew of people backing him up.

“I will, and anytime anyone asks about you, and your relationship with us, I’ll gladly tell them how you treated us and then tried to make it seem like it was our own fault that we left you. That the last time you came into our lives wasn’t to own up to your mistakes, but to try and order me into saving your life when it isn’t worth it.” Buck said evenly. Mr. Buckley stared at him for a long moment before turning and walking over to car in the far end of the row. With a roar of the engine, he pulled out, then was gone. Eddie pulled him close, and Buck rested his head on his shoulder, shutting his eyes for a moment.

“Evan, carino?” Eddie asked softly.

“Can we go home now?” He requested. Maddie tightened her hold on him, and Athena moved away to check in with Bobby and Chimney. He could feel Eddie tense, clearly wanting to address the situation. “We can talk later, I swear, just, can we please leave?” And all the fight went out of his boyfriend.

“Alright, mi amore, alright. Let’s all go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a few more parts of this later on that I plan on writing, but enjoy! Also, I'm apologizing in advance for tomorrow's chapter...


	6. Chapter 6

**64\. Pavement**

There were times when Buck wondered what his life would have been like if he wasn’t a firefighter.

Right now, pinned beneath the truck, head swimming, with some sort of shouting match going on over his head, Buck knew he probably wouldn’t be here. His leg hurt, sharp pains going through his body with each breath, as did his chest and head. He had tried to move, but the agony that came from his leg quickly stopped him from trying a second time. There was blood in his mouth, dirt and other stuff in his eyes that made them sting, and he couldn’t seem to stay focused on anything for very long. There was a ringing in his right ear and his head was pounding. He wasn’t aware that he had been closing his eyes, not until they flung open at a louder shout, and then a sudden burst of pain. The sound that came out of him couldn’t have been human, and Buck tried to crawl away from it, before something, a hand he realized seconds later, pulled him back by his neck.

“You stay away, keep going, or I’ll do it again!” He couldn’t see who was talking, the grip on his neck tight, still waiting for the new pain to mix in with everything else. The pressure on his leg was excruciating.

“You don’t want to do that, Freddie. He hasn’t done anything to you.” He forced his eyes to focus; it was blurry, but he could make out Bobby standing in front of him. Hands outstretched, face pinched, and far, far, too far away. There was a click by the left side of his head and the cold press of something metal against his jaw.

A gun.

There was a gun, and something like the feeling of ice going down his back left him trembling. It could have been the pain, or blood loss, or any of the other injuries he had that didn’t register at the moment.

“You’re close. I’ve seen it. I’ve been watching.” Freddie said. He switched his grip from his neck to the back of his head, yanking on the hair there so that his head fell back to Freddie’s shoulder; the gun traveled from his jaw to just under his chin. Buck whimpered and tried to move, only to have the gun jab in harder. “I thought it would be you, but this is better.”

Then he was flung forward, head smacking against the pavement, and everything went white for a moment. When he came back around, the pain had increased, he was shaking, and there was pressure on his back. Shock, his brain supplied, he was going into shock.

“-don’t have to do this!” He couldn’t tell who was shouting. His head was being pulled again, turned, then pushed down. It hurt, the cuts on his face sending out little zaps of pain, he could feel tiny rocks being pressed into his open cuts. “Buck, it’s gonna be okay, alright? Get off of him!” Bobby, it was Bobby, Bobby was still here.

The captain sounded scared and Buck tried to move, get away, once more, before the pain forced him to stop. There was a familiar feel of metal on his face, but it didn’t stop at his neck. It was jammed in and it took him a while to understand what was happening as it clipped his teeth. The taste of blood and hard metal had him crying again. A gun, the gun, it was in his mouth.

“You’re going to get back, Captain Nash, or I’ll pull the trigger. Might be a blessing for him.” Freddie said in a lazy tone. There was commotion around him, but he couldn’t focus on that; the gun pressed in harder, and he gagged, body spasming. Pressure on his back, combined with the intrusion in his mouth, made it hard to breath and couldn’t move.

If he moved and the gun went off…

“Freddie? Freddie!” Another voice, off to the side, and Buck closed his eyes. He couldn’t do this, there was too much pain, he was too scared. The gun was ripped out, cutting the inside of his cheek, and then the pressure on his back was gone. Buck coughed, which jarred his leg, and his eyes slipped closed from the limited blurry view he had.

“Mom?” More sounds, fainter, but he couldn’t tell if it was because they were far away from him or he was finally on the verge of passing out. He didn’t get the chance to figure out the answer.

“Buck, come on Buck, open your eyes!” Hands, on his face, but they were gentle. He managed to open his eyes, vision swimming before clearing, seeing Bobby’s frantic face just inches from his own. “There you go, keep them open, there we go. Eyes on me.” Thumbs wiped away blood and tears. When had he started crying?

“How we doing, Buck?” Hen, that was Hen’s voice, on his side.

He coughed once, twice, then croaked out, “Kind of numb.”

More hands on him, on his leg, and his cries of pain resulted in talking above his head. He was aware that they were talking to him, but the words didn’t register, and it was too much to try and decipher it out or ask them to repeat it. They put the cervical collar on his neck at some point. Bobby wasn’t in his line of sight anymore, but Eddie was, and he was talking. The words sounded as if he was underwater.

“-ck, Chim we got to get moving, Buck, eyes on me!” Eddie said. He sounded scared; Eddie never sounded this scared in the field. “Buck, stay with me, just a little long, brother.” The pain, which had been fading until this point, came back with a vengeance. “Sh, sh, I know it hurts, Buck. We’ve got you, Buck, Hen and I are right here.” He could feel Eddie holding his hand. “We’re going to get you out, I promise.”

“We almost got it! Hen, get ready to move him with Eddie!” Hands on his arms, bracing him, and a light press of something to the top of his head. The pain roared back, and he lost his vision once again, before coming around as he was being moved. Stretcher, he was on the stretcher now, Eddie on his left, Hen on his right and Chim guiding their little group.

“-Did so well, you’re gonna be fine, alright? Just stay with me, Buck.” Oh, Eddie was still talking, one hand tangled up with his, the other on his face. Chimney was by his feet one moment, then up by his shoulders and readjusting his arm. They were moving, suddenly, and Buck’s head lolled to the side. He tried to talk, but his throat burned, and any words he could have made were cut off by another cough, followed by a low groan.

“Come on, Buckaroo, stick with us, Eddie, keep him awake.” Chim ordered. The grip on his hand doubled. “Hen, step on it, I don’t like his vitals at all.” An oxygen mask was put on his face, the cool air soothing some of the ache in his nose and throat.

“I know you’re tired, Buck, but just a little longer.” Eddie rambled. “You have to stay with us, Christopher, he, he’s going to visit you in the hospital. And give you the rundown of all the pictures he’s going to draw you.” Christopher, right, where was he? Buck tried to talk, but his tongue wouldn’t work right and he couldn’t remember what he was going to say. His eyes rolled and there was more yelling. He just wanted it to stop, just for a moment, he was too tired. More movement, which shook his leg, and Buck would have made a sound if he had the energy. Then there was another presence on his other side; a tight grip on his shoulder and a hand brushing his hair. Behind closed eyelids, he saw a bunch of flashing colors.

“-going into shock, his pressure is continuing to drop. Call the blood bank now and get him to OR 5!”

“-we’re right here, okay, I’ve got your back, Evan.”

“-doing great, kiddo, just stick with me for a little longer.”

“-tried to keep him conscious, he wasn’t answering any of our questions in the ambulance.”

And then the voices around him stopped and the grip on his hand was ripped away. There was another flash of bright lights, a firm press of lips to his forehead, followed by, “You’re gonna make it, I swear, Evan, you’re gonna be alright, carino.”

Then, nothing, it faded into black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whump stories following the truck bombing is my jam. Leave a comment if you want :)


	7. Chapter 7

**99\. Sleep**

Eddie readjusted himself on the chair. It hadn’t been the easiest of nights, but he had been in worse spots before, and often never in the comfort of his own home.

On the bed, Christopher rested peacefully, curled up against Buck’s chest, one hand gripping his arm and the other holding onto Eddie’s. His son had refused to let his father and his Buck out of his sight at the field station, a feeling that Eddie could understand, and he somehow managed to convince Buck to come back with him. That hadn’t been an easy task; Buck had been so worried, so sure that Eddie wanted nothing to do with him, and all he could do was stutter out apologies and attempt to leave, halted only by Hen’s determination to keep him sitting.

Eddie couldn’t have imagined what it had been like, separated from Christopher, wondering what happened to him. Eddie had a few moments of crushing panic; he couldn’t begin to wonder what hours of that did to a person. He had seen the wreckage, could only imagine what Buck had been, only wonder what his son had encountered. What new horrors would stick this time to add more fuel to the nightmares? Now, hours later, cleaned up and ushered to bed, Eddie felt himself slowly coming to terms with all that had occurred.

He almost lost his son, almost lost his best friend, and if they didn’t meet at the aid station, he might have never known. It could have been avoided. If he hadn’t brought Christopher over, if he hadn’t forced Buck out of the house, if he hadn’t tried to ask for more than he was expecting to get. Christopher had been so excited to see Buck, to get the chance to hang out and get back to having fun like they did before the bombing.

Eddie had warned him that Buck might not be up to it, his friend had been experiencing some anxiety problems in the wake of his injury, and then the subsequent blood clot, and seemed to be just fine staying indoors. Eddie had watered it down for his kid, telling Christopher that Buck was still recovering, but how did you explain depression and probable PTSD to an eight-year-old? His son, full of optimism, was determined. His bag was packed with anything he could possibly use to make Buck smile and then they were off.

How they winded up at the pier was still a mystery and the details were still unclear. Christopher and Buck had gotten separated at some point, Buck was clearly frantic during that time, and Eddie wanted to ask for more answers, for a chance to understand. That was a task for another time, certainly not right now, not when Christopher was determined to keep them close and cried when they walked too far away, and when Buck looked like he could startle, much like his nickname, at the drop of a hat. Any assurances he tried to give his best friend went in one ear and out the other.

His phone vibrated against his leg and Eddie glanced down at it. With Buck’s phone out of commission, again, Eddie had taken up being the point of communication. He’d been giving updates every couple of hours, and it had slowly petered out now that his boys were asleep. Christopher shifted, curling up a little more in the hold Buck had him in, and then relaxed. Buck didn’t react, in a dead sleep, and Eddie was glad for that at the very least; Buck had been ready to drop earlier, he needed the rest. He fixed the blanket, wondering if he should get another one, but dismissed it. That would require him to leave and let go of his son’s hand.

“Daddy?” A sleepy voice cut through the silence in the bedroom.

“Hey, buddy, you okay?” Eddie asked as he leaned in, pressing a kiss to the curls, savoring the fact that his son was whole and here. A dark thought entered his mind as he wondered how many other people would no longer be able to kiss their loved ones again.

“I gotta go to the bathroom,” Christopher said. Eddie nodded and helped him. There was a moment when they both thought Buck would wake up, subconsciously curling around Chris, and Eddie gently uncoiled him. Hoisting Chris into his arms, Eddie used one hand to readjust the blankets, Buck’s hand shifting to the empty space where Chris had been.

“It’s alright, Buck, I’m just helping Chris to the bathroom. We’ll be right back.” Eddie said softly, running his hand over his shoulder.

They made quick work of it, Eddie carrying Christopher to and from the master bathroom, Christopher not balking when his dad helped him wash his hands. His spare crutches hadn’t been fetched yet from the closet and Christopher was too tired to ask for them. Buck had moved a bit when they had been away, hand off the side of the bed, and Christopher easily rolled back in.

“Come cuddle with us.” Christopher asked. Eddie couldn’t refuse. Christopher melted into him, back to his chest, hands coming to rest at Buck’s stomach.

“I love you, Christopher.” He said, pressing another kiss to his head. “So, so much, buddy.”

Maybe this would be the end of it, this bad luck streak that everyone had been on. You couldn’t top a natural disaster. All of the near-death events had been wearing them down.

“I love you, too, Daddy.” Chris reached a hand up, curling his fingers in the fabric of the shirt Buck was wearing. “Buck loves us, too.” Eddie nodded, throat tight, and placed one of his hands over his son’s.

“He does.” Christopher turned his head to look up at him; without his glasses he appeared much younger.

“Do you love, Buck?”

“I do, mijo, I love Buck.” The words came easy and Christopher had a gleam in his eyes, as if he was proud, and he smiled.

“We need to tell him.” Christopher reported. “He kept me safe. Even when he was scared, Daddy, Buck’s never scared.”

Eddie didn’t have the heart to tell him that Buck had probably been scared for a long time; this was just another thing for him to be afraid of and compartmentalize.

“Of course, we’ll tell him, first thing in the morning.” Eddie promised. “It’s okay to be scared, Chris, it’s normal reaction when something bad happens.” Christopher nodded and turned his head back.

Time was meaningless here, in the quiet space of his bedroom, and Eddie let the darkness settle against him. He couldn’t sleep, too wired to close his eyes, so he took stock of his boys. Cataloged each scrape, each bruise, each cut as if he didn’t already know what existed prior to leaving the field hospital. He had already made sure the follow-up doctor appointments were booked; Chris was seeing his primary doctor, and Eddie would strong arm Buck into going to see his. He started making a plan for the morning. Bobby had given him the next few days off, and Maddie was coming by later with a bag of Buck’s things, so he had a small window of time to take advantage of before the real world came knocking again.

“We’re going to be okay.” Eddie whispered hoping that the words sunk in to the two sleeping individuals before him. As the first rays of morning broke through the curtains, their positions had changed. Christopher was still pressed tight against him, now facing his chest, and he had managed to pull Buck closer. The blonde was leaning against his shoulder, soft breath tickling his skin, and their hands had gotten tangled together. Eddie could start to feel the first wave of exhaustion coming, his right foot was numb from being held in position through the night, and his phone had been buzzing for the last few minutes. He didn’t let his eyes close, the lingering traces of fear still coursing through his veins, body ready to mobilize to keep the two figures on the bed safe if anything else came to knock at their door. But he didn’t move.

His boys were here, whole and safe, and Eddie just wanted it to stay like that. Sent every prayer out that it would remain like this from here on out. Buck moved a fraction, frowning, and Eddie pressed the side of his head to Buck’s forehead.

“Shh, it’s alright, go back to sleep, Buck.” They needed to talk, all of them, sooner rather than later. About the fact that Chris was most likely going to pitch a fit if Buck tried to leave; Eddie was in agreement, already mapping out what could moved into the guest room. Buck turned his head to fit into the crock of his neck. Eddie knew that they, he and Buck, needed to talk. Whatever was between them, which had been building for the past year only to derailed by Buck going on medical leave, had to addressed.

Eddie had let things slip through in the past and had to live with the regret it left. If a freak natural disaster wasn’t enough of a cosmic sign, then Eddie wasn’t sure what was.

It would be a few more hours before true wakefulness came to them. At that point, Eddie would usher his boys into another shower, soft clothes, and then bundle them up on the couch. He’d hunt down Christopher’s spare crutches, lined up with Buck’s pair that Maddie had brought, and then grab the well-used heating pad. He would make enough hot chocolate and tea for an army, convince his son and best friend into eating some light meals, keeping their attention off the outside world for the time being. He had his boys, the two halves of his heart, with him, everything else could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you want :)   
> Preview for tomorrow's chapter: Bobby had a complicated history with alcohol. When he was younger, he figured he would approach it like everyone else, go nuts as a young adult, calm down as he got older, and then transition to liking some of the more aged drinks.


	8. Chapter 8

**47.Ideology**

Bobby had a complicated history with alcohol.

When he was younger, he figured he would approach it like everyone else; go nuts as a young adult, calm down as he got older, and then transition to liking some of the more aged drinks. That never happened. He never grew out of the ‘going nuts’ phase, went from one drink at a time, to several, to suddenly being unable to unwind after his day without the beverage in his hand. He was able to hide it, for a time, before it consumed his life as most addictions did.

In the same sense of a raging fire, his alcoholism destroyed everything good in his life.

He lost his marriage with his wife, he lost the trust of his children, and ultimately, lost his family with no chance of getting them back. It was by the skin of his teeth that he didn’t lose his job. The previous fire chief, along with his old captain, had given him a choice: get sober and stay sober, or turn in his badge. They couldn’t have him on the field if he wasn’t clean. It had been the worst year of his life; coming to terms with the loss of his wife and children and just how far down he had fallen. Hitting rock bottom had left him in a dark hole for months.

He was given a department suggested therapist, in addition to the one he found on his own, and was soon directed to a local AA group. It took him several false starts to walk into a meeting, and several more before he began to talk outside of the standard AA greeting. The people there were strangers to him, Bobby originally had no desire to get to know them, made it a point to not form anything beyond being acquaintances, but he slowly learned their stories and sharing became…easier. Easier to talk to them, easier to lay everything bare, and it helped that they did the same.

They didn’t know him as the firefighter that ended up killing his family. The firefighter that still had a pretty good chance of being terminated from his career because he could be a liability in the field, where there were actual people in need of saving. Here, he was just Bobby. There were people in the group that had been coming for years, some for just a few months, and others that had started attending recently, just like himself. He watched as others got their coins, including himself, and after the first night Bobby received his one-week sobriety coin, he held it tight in his hand, refusing to let go. Took his first real breath and slept without the usual number of nightmares. Recovery was difficult and Bobby didn’t try to fool himself by thinking that it would be easy. He had been self-destructing for years, it was going to take longer than a few weeks to assess and repair the damage. Some days were easier, others not so much, and he had been warned that he would stumble.

He had his first relapse four months in.

However, unlike previous times when he reverted back into a bottle, he had people calling him back out. The tentative friends he made in the AA group rallied behind him. The few co-workers that knew what was happening at work encouraged him. His therapists gave him suggestions and constantly forced him to examine his own thoughts and combat those destructive behaviors. The notebook was his own form of therapy; only later on would he learn that it wasn’t as therapeutic as he thought, as it led to his second relapse just two years later.

This time, it wasn’t only people that he knew through circumstance, it was actual friends who came to his aide.

Admittedly, he wouldn’t have pegged Hen and Buck for being those people. Hen helped bring order back to his apartment, cleaned up his mess, made him some coffee and got him some pain medication for his headache. Buck helped get up cleaned up, quickly and quietly gathering new clothes and making sure he didn’t crack his head open in the shower, not making a face or joke at the smell, a show of uncharacteristic maturity. He expected judgement from them; when he looked at them, all he could see was concern in their eyes. Out of respect for him, the two didn’t tell anyone, but they did give him a new option: asking for help. A simple word, easily said, and firmly planted at the top of his arsenal.

The following weeks were hard, he had more cravings as was common coming off of a relapse, and Bobby snapped more than usual at his team. They took it in stride, not fighting back outside of their norm, and if he missed anything during a shift, they picked up the slack. He got rid of the notebook. It was doing more harm than good, enough that he almost took a swing at Buck, and it was clear that there were other, more effective, options for him to use and try.

He wondered if his family would have been proud of his progress or angry that they weren’t here to see it, furious that it had taken him so long to get to this point or that he didn’t try harder when they were alive. He tried to honor them in what he did; saving people, continuing his therapy and meetings, reaching out before he got to that self-destructive point.

His coin is now three years old. The department therapist discharged him a little over two years ago and he kept up with his other therapist for bi-weekly sessions. Resting in his wallet, the indent visible each time he opened it, and at least once a day he takes it out and runs his thumb over the surface. His sponsor was beginning to talk to him about becoming a mentor to some of the newer members, a decision that his therapist and friends supported, and he was slowly coming around to it. It was different than being a mentor in the fire house, different than being the ‘dad-friend’ outside of work, Bobby was still surprised he was able to get out of the hole he had been in.

But, what better way to help another people out of that place than someone who knew that darkness personally?

The anniversary of his wife and children’s death still haunts him, and he intimately knows the dates of his two relapses, but he has new dates to celebrate and be proud of. His four-year sobriety anniversary, the anniversary of his new relationship with Athena, the knowledge that he’s gone one more day without having a craving. He gets to celebrate other life events with his friends and family; Chimney and Maddie bringing home their daughter, Eddie and Buck getting married, Hen and Karen’s adoption finally being approved. He isn’t quite there yet, is still learning his triggers and fighting his cravings. For the first time, in a very long time, he feels confident that he can get there, maybe float on the surface instead of treading water. He’s got a whole crew of people rooting him on, after all, ready to catch him if he stumbles and always having an ear out when he needs to ask for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you wish :) Also, stay safe and healthy out there folks. 
> 
> Preview for tomorrow: He wasn’t sure what it was that set him off. It could have been the fact that he’d been having more nightmares this past week than in recent months, or that he wasn’t very hungry lately as he was just getting over the flu, or maybe it had been building for some time before breaking out.


	9. Chapter 9

**44\. Truck**

Buck wasn’t sure what it was that set him off.

It could have been the fact that he’d been having more nightmares this past week than in recent months, or that he wasn’t very hungry lately as he was just getting over the flu, or maybe it had been building for some time before breaking out. Since returning to work, the anxiety and panic attacks had slowly decreased and the ones he had at home almost stopped, only triggered if he had a nightmare, and Argo helped with them.

He was in the back room with Chimney, taking stock of the supplies; all the stations had been getting more calls and their equipment and normal tools had been getting lots of use with the beginnings of the summer months. Chimney was talking about one of the new shows on Netflix, explaining the inconsistencies between the trailer and the original comic book, using one hand to point and gesture in the air, the other to make notes on his clipboard. It was always fun to see Chim get animated like this, to the point where his limbs were being thrown around, and it got even funnier if he mentioned that he didn’t know the show beforehand. Buck was listening with one ear, nodding or giving that ‘uh-huh’ sound when needed as he checked the boxes. It sounded good and maybe he could convince Eddie to watch it with him.

There was a loud thud outside, it echoed throughout the firehouse, and Buck froze. The sound was so similar, and for a moment, he wasn’t in the back room anymore. All he could hear what the sounds; the hiss from the firetruck, Freddie’s voice, the crackling of the radios. He jumped, shoulder knocking over one of the boxes, which made him flinch when it hit the floor.

Chimney was in front of him, hands up, before slowly trying again to place one on his shoulder.

“Buck, you alright?” He asked. Buck nodded even though it was clear he wasn’t. His hands were shaking and all he could hear was those long-faded noises of the truck bombing. His leg throbbed. “Hey, let’s sit down for a minute, okay? I’m just going to close the door for a second.”

Buck sunk to the floor, closing his eyes, trying to get himself under control. He couldn’t break down. This wasn’t like before, when he could fall apart in his apartment because there was no one there to see, but he was working right now. He was in the middle of a 12-hour shift, he had no time to lose his shit. Buck could get through this one, push it down far enough that it wouldn’t be in his way for the remainder of time at the station, then fall apart later. Chimney settled down next to him and pressed his shoulder up against him before bringing his arm around to tug him close.

“Let’s take some deep breaths together, Buckaroo, in and out.” Chimney had a soothing voice, it always calmed people down, it was one of the many things that made him such a good firefighter. “You want to tell me what’s going on?” Buck tried to curl up more, but the weight of Chim’s arm and his general size prevented that.

“It-the noise,” Buck stuttered out. “It sounded like the truck.” Chimney frowned.

“The truck?”

“When it landed on its side. After the bombing.”

He still had gaps from the accident. The doctors had assured him that it was to be expected, that it may come back to him eventually after his mind had started processing the trauma. While the actual memories never fully returned, the sounds and smells did. Chimney nodded slowly, not forcing him to elaborate more in his current state. Chimney had been part of the memories that he had fragments of during that night; Eddie had told him that the other firefighter had been helping Bobby work to get the truck off him, leaving Buck with Hen and Eddie on the ground, but he was a menace in the ambulance and at the hospital.

“I’m sorry, Buck.” He said. “Let’s do some more breathing, try and get you to relax a bit more. You want me to grab someone, Bobby or Eddie?” Buck shook his head and leaned more into Chimney; to his relief, Chimney responded in kind and tightened his hold. Chimney didn’t have to try hard at helping people calm down. It was in his DNA right alongside his ability to quote movies word for word.

“Eddie’s catching some sleep in the bunks.” He said. “I don’t need-You’re helping.” That part was softer, but he meant it. Eddie and Hen had been solid presences throughout that hellish time, one of the firm points of memory he retained, and he remembered Chimney keeping him alive during the frantic ambulance ride, and if Buck was going to have a mini breakdown, he’d rather it be among someone who understood. Bobby still carried too much guilt over the bombing and that was the main reason he never talked about it with him.

“Is this your first panic attack?” Chimney asked. Buck shook his head. He wished it was.

“First one in the station. The noise just threw me off.” He responded. “It wasn’t a panic attack, well, not a bad one.” Chimney lifted on eyebrow.

“Buck, you were staring off into space, you went white as paper, and you were trembling and hyperventilating.” Chimney listed off. “Classic signs of a panic attack.” Buck closed his eyes. “Buck, how bad were they before this?” He bit the inside of cheek.

At home, he would curl up and curl, try to ride out the attack, and Argo often curled up against him, worming her way into his arms so he could hold her instead of pressing his fingernails into his palms.

“Bad enough. They’ve gotten better, Chim, I swear. It won’t happen again.”

“It probably will.” Chimney said. “And when it does, you can come tell any of us and we’ll help, alright? Maybe we should have a mini meeting, figure out some of your triggers so we can better be prepared.” Loud noises, gun powder, the feel of gravel under his skin, those were other things that had come back to him in the past. Buck didn’t try to argue; Chimney was stubborn, more so after beginning to date his sister, and he didn’t have a chance at winning. The only consolation was that Chimney would let him open up that future conversation on his own terms.

“Thanks.” He said after some time had passed. The door was closed, and unlike the locker room, there were no windows.

“For what?” Chimney asked, trailing off from his return to the previous Netflix show conversation.

“For not making this weird, for helping without making it a big deal.” Buck replied. “Everyone wants to talk about it, I get that. It’s just…hard, you know? To put it all into words.”

“Well, having a truck fall on you is a big deal.” Chimney said. “Right up there with having a piece of metal go straight through your head. You didn’t make a big deal out of making sure there was an extra pair of glasses in your locker for me when mine broke or got lost because of my vision issues. Or when you modified all the printed stuff we got and said it was because you messed up the font settings and it would be a waste to reprint it.” Buck smiled and looked down, glad that he wasn’t blushing, and Chimney knocked their legs together. “I might not get everything about what you went through, no one here might, but we care.” He flicked his ear until he looked up. “So, when you’re ready, we will finish up in here and then go raid the kitchen.”

“Why the kitchen?” Buck asked as he slowly pushed himself up, letting Chimney help when he offered a hand, and started to clean up the box that had gotten knocked down. His leg wasn’t hurting anymore and Buck had to look down to make sure; the limb hadn’t felt like his for weeks following his first surgery.

“He’s been trying out a new recipe for these little pot pies.” Chimney said. “And he thinks we didn’t notice.”

As they finished up in the room, Chimney now ranting about how unrealistic cooking shows were, Buck felt better. Not at his usual 100%, which Eddie picked up on, but Chimney didn’t say a word about what happened. Throughout the rest of the shift, Chimney found plenty of reasons to stay closer than normal, and Buck didn’t tell him to stop. He was not looking forward to the future conversation he would be having with the team, and he knew that it was something that would come up in his next therapy session, but he could manage it.

He had teammates who understood him best, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you want! Also, the show is back!
> 
> Preview: Sitting here, trying to push through the weird energy that sat between them, Abby knew that she would forever think about the ‘what if’s’. They both had gotten their drinks long ago, long enough at the steam coming out of the top of her cup had stopped, and Buck hadn’t said more than a few words to her. She knew that she deserved it; telling him that she would come back, then pushing back the date repeatedly before stopping communication, was a bad way to end things.


	10. Chapter 10

**01\. Guilt**

Sitting here, trying to push through the weird energy that sat between them, Abby knew that she would forever think about the ‘what if’s’.

The coffee shop was busy and Abby was glad for the background noise. She and Buck had never been this quiet when they were together. They had given each other a hug when they first spotted each other, but it had been different; Buck didn’t hug as tightly as he had in the past and she felt weird placing her hands on his lower back, like she used to do. They both had gotten their drinks, a mocha for herself and a caramel latte for Buck, and enough time had passed for the steam coming out of the top of her cup to have stopped.

Buck hadn’t said more than a few words to her. She knew that she deserved it; telling him that she would come back, then pushing back the date repeatedly before stopping communication, was a bad way to end things. Buck looked good. Strong, still preferring his usual flannels, and seemed alright when he greeted her. Even if the greeting was a bit stilted. It was the little things that she noticed that had changed.

His smile didn’t reach his eyes when he looked at her. He didn’t go out of his way to initiate touch with her. Buck had always been tactile. Not anymore, not with her, and that part made her sad. She knew that things were over between them. Buck had been good for her, and vice versa, as she liked to think. The cold reception she got from Buck’s friends at the fire station, and the subdued welcoming from Buck himself, showed that whatever door she had opened before was closed. Firmly closed, if the pointed comments Hen and Chimney had given were any indication. Bobby hadn’t greeted her, looking her over once from the balcony before walking away, and left her feeling properly chastised.

They had answered her questions; no, Buck wasn’t here today; yes, he moved to a different apartment; no, he wouldn’t be there right now, he was out with Eddie and Christopher. Life had gone without her. It had been cruel to ask him to wait for her when she clearly had no intention of waiting for him. Buck had moved on, clearly not without any stumbles, and Abby didn’t have any right to ask about it.

From the little information she had gotten from Hen, and the quick review she conducted herself by looking at old news articles, the past two years had been rough for her…ex-boyfriend? Lover? Buck had always just been Buck to her. Maybe that was why it had been easier to leave, easier to stay away, she hadn’t labeled what they were. Buck had always been there for her, with her Mom, befriending Carla, trying to make life better for her without receiving that same amount of care back.

It had been simple for her to cut Buck out of her life slowly. He had tried to stay in contact, by texting or sometimes email. But as life piled up on his end, and Abby continued to push back what had happened in LA, they drifted apart. The texts stopped coming, the emails got shorter until they were a few short lines, before stopping altogether.

Abby was confident that she could pick Buck out of any picture, notice him on the street, hear his voice over the phone and identify him. Now, the person in front of her could have been a stranger with the handful of words spoken to her. Buck loved to talk, to joke, to have a good time. The fact that he was quiet in front of her made her uneasy and left her wondering if maybe meeting up, face to face, wasn’t such a good idea. The lack of touch was harder to come to terms with. Buck fiddled with the lid on his cup and Abby knew that he wouldn’t break first.

“I’m sorry.” Abby blurted out. Buck looked up and frowned.

“For what?”

“Everything? I left you, Buck. I kept telling you that I would be back and we would talk. We never did.” As good as leaving had been for her, she would always feel wrong about how she left things.

As it stood now, her previous life, and its supports, were gone from her. Her job at the call center had been filled, Carla was working with another family, and Buck wasn’t as open to her as he was in the past. Her apartment had been rented out to another person, her belongings packed and stored in the storage center.

“You’re talking to me now.” Buck conceded. “To be honest, I’m not sure how much help you would have been if you came back any earlier, Abby.”

“I would have been there for you. Like you were for me.” Abby knew the words were just that. Empty words. She had nothing to back it up, save for the horrible date that led to a hospitalization. Buck shook his head and gave her a small smile that looked out of place on his face.

“I wasn’t in a good place back then, Abby. Still not, really, even though I’m getting better.” He wrung his hands together. “I made some dumb decisions. If you did come back, and we did talk, I don’t think I would have listened. There was…Chimney likes to say that my bad luck card has been cleared out for the next few decades. I had a hard-enough time letting my own family and friends in, Abby, I would have taken one look at you and slammed the door shut in your face.” His words were blunt, almost as if he was stating a fact, and Abby wanted to know more. Find out what he was struggling with and how she could help. Part of it was the old 911 operator in her, the other half was her longing to have some sort of connection to Buck again, a need to repay him in the same why he helped her.

She knew that there were videos of the ladder truck bombing floating around the internet. Saw the footage and evidence of the tsunami. Knew that Buck fought hard to get back to work, hard enough to warrant a lawsuit against the very institution and people he loved. It was public knowledge, to look up the events, see the headlines. Abby didn’t know the actual events, how it impacted him behind closed doors, and how it was still affecting him.

“I would have deserved it.” Abby said. “I think if a door had been present when I went by the station, someone would have gladly slammed it.”

“They told me you stopped by.” Buck told her. Abby leaned back, surprised, and Buck gave her a rueful smile in return. “We’re trying this new thing, not keeping secrets, and they didn’t want me to be blind sighted if you came back or tried to contact me.” Abby wasn’t shocked. That loyalty had never been used for her; she was welcomed because she meant, had meant at one time, something to Buck. Instead, she had hurt him and now she was seen as someone to be wary of.

“I’m glad they have your back then.” She said and wanted to ask about the quick grin that spread across his face, as if Abby had just told a joke.

“Is that why you didn’t reach out sooner? Because I had already dropped by the station?” Buck’s number hadn’t changed and neither did hers. She had called twice before Buck answered and agreed to meet her. Almost a full three weeks after her visit to the fire house.

“Kind of. Mainly it was because I didn’t really know if I wanted to see you, Abby. I’ll be honest, when Hen told me, I didn’t want to see you.” Buck said frankly. “Eddie was the one that convinced me. Said that I would regret it if I didn’t talk to you, even if we never see each other again after this.”

“Eddie sounds smart.” Abby said thickly.

“He is.” Buck replied quietly. “He’s my best friend, I haven’t had one of those in a long time.”

That oppressive silence came back. Abby fidgeted with her hands, trying to find the words, until Buck beat her to it.

“I’m not sure what you wanted to get out of this, Abby. I’m…You’re always going to be someone special to me.” He looked directly at her and Abby felt sucker punched by those blue eyes. “I think it’s safe to say that there’s no point in revisiting what we had, is there?”

“No, you’re right. You’re special to me as well.” Abby brushed at her face. “You helped me during a rough point in my life, Buck, and I’m sorry that I couldn’t have done the same for you.”

In her absence others had filled in the void. Buck had his co-workers, apparently his sister had reunited with him, and now he had another person, Eddie, supporting him. Abby could have had a place there in Buck’s life and she chose to leave. Buck had opened himself up to, offered his support, encouraged her to leave even if it hurt him, and she took it as the escape she craved.

“I had to grow up at some point, Abby, and I did. You helped a lot with that.” He shrugged. His phone buzzed and he frowned down at the screen. “They’re short staffed at the station. I’ve got to go.” Abby nodded and stood up as Buck did.

“Right, of course, go out there and save a life.” She said. Buck looked at her for a moment and held out his hand. Abby took it without a second thought. His hands were warm, rough at some spots due to callouses, and Abby wanted to memorize the feeling.

“It was good seeing you, Abby.” Six simple words. Why did it feel more like an ending then a simple goodbye?

“You too, Buck. Stay safe, alright?” She offered.

With a final smile, Buck let go and walked away. Away from her, from whatever had been between them, away from any continuation of involvement in one another’s life. Even after Buck was out of sight, Abby continued to stand there. As she began the slow process of gathering her belongings and walking back to her car, she could finally put a word to that awful energy between them. Regret. As she pulled away from the curb, Abby could list her regrets: that she didn’t come back sooner, reach out more, think that Buck would have waited for her. She had a feeling that Buck had some regrets…but not like her. LA was a big city and she didn’t think that fate would be kind enough to place Buck back in her path.

Just one more regret to add to her list as she drove off to restart her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankfully I have my dog during this lockdown. On the flip side, one of my friends is out of work for the time being and I'm sure how all of this will continue to impact the job search we both have going on. So, read, enjoy, leave a comment if you want :) I've got mixed feelings about Abby; personally, I don't want to happy reunion between them. 
> 
> Preview for tomorrow: Hour 1: The start of a shift was always telling of how the rest of the day would go. It wasn’t the first 24-hour shift that Eddie had done, and certainly not the last, but his mindset was to power through it and then enjoy the two days off he had after.


	11. Chapter 11

**56\. Quota**

Hour 1:

How a shift started out was always telling of how the rest of the day would go. It wasn’t the first 24-hour shift that Eddie had done, and certainly would not be the last. His mindset was to power through it and then enjoy the two days off he had after. The weather was getting warmer and he had agreed to go to the zoo with Christopher that weekend with Peppa and Abuela. Chris was a little bummed that Buck wasn’t going with them. Once Eddie explained that Buck was spending some time with Maddie, who had some sort of sibling thing planned for the two of them, his son wasn’t that upset anymore.

Hen and Buck were already here, moving around each other in the kitchen, and Buck slid a coffee mug across the counter to him without breaking away from the conversation. It was a routine they had down at this point, knew how everyone took their coffee, and which mugs where preferred by each person. His was a blue mug with handle being formed into a little whale tale. Maybe a little childish, Eddie admitted, until he pointed out that it was also the largest mug and thus could hold more precious coffee.

“It has to be something with the texture or whatever. She hated that thing.” Buck said. Hen took a sip of her coffee and leaned back against her chair. She looked rested this morning; with the new addition to their family, Hen wasn’t getting as much sleep. Eddie remembered those days and wouldn’t wish those sleepless nights on anyone.

“Maybe it’s just that one toy. She hasn’t done this to any of the other ones, right, or the furniture?” Hen asked. Buck shook his head. Eddie finished fixing his coffee, pulling up a seat next to Buck, and savored his first sip.

“No, just that one.” Buck answered. He was currently looking through his phone until he found what he was looking for. He slid the phone to Hen and Eddie leaned in to see. Buck’s living room was covered in the white fluff that was commonly used for animal toys. He thought, based on the shape and the remaining stitched limbs, that it might have been a squirrel at one point.

“What happened? I thought Argo was housebroken.” Eddie interjected. Hen chuckled and Buck shot him a mild glare.

“Buck’s being a worried pet parent; I guess Argo went nuts on one of the new toys and he thinks he somehow messed her up.” Eddie could understand; Argo couldn’t have been adopted in a better time and Buck was probably one of the most active pet owners he’d ever come across. Buck huffed as he accepted his phone back.

“There was fluff everywhere, Hen. It looked like a stuff animal murder scene.” Buck sighed. “She looked all proud of herself, too, she even did that little head tilt with the whine. I couldn’t scold her.” Eddie laughed; he had been on the receiving end of that look before. Much like his son, Argo quickly learned how far she could push and Buck was a sucker for those big, brown eyes.

“It’s one toy, Buck, I’m sure you didn’t traumatize her for life.” Eddie reassured him. “She might just not know her own strength, at least it wasn’t the couch or something. Maybe look into getting one of those Kong toys? I heard they’re pretty durable and no fluff to clean up even if she destroys it.” For the next twenty minutes, Eddie and Hen were subjected to endless questions, not that they minded, even if they couldn’t tell the difference between the toys.

Hour 4:

The seven-car pile-up had quickly gone from being a cut and dry case of a few fender benders and one crushed bumper to panic central. One of the people trapped in the cars, an older gentleman, had started to complain about chest pain. He had been assessed first, as his car was one of the damaged ones, and didn’t complain of any immediate pain or injuries. It was due to their quick thinking, and the fact that both Chimney and Hen were used to acting calmly, that saved his life. Eddie’s body was sore, and he tried to unwind a little as they rode back to the station.

“Dammit, I lost my flashlight again.” Chimney moaned. “That’s the second one this month.”

“There’s a new box in the supply room.” Buck told him. “Mine was broken last month.” It was obvious that anything that fell thirty feet down an elevator shaft that wasn’t a living being wasn’t important enough to go after.

“I swear, you two,” Hen scolded pointing at Chimney and Buck, “Are horrible at taking care of your toys.” Chimney stuck his tongue out at her as Buck shot back, “Sorry, mom.” Both of them got a kick to their shins, which only fired Chimney up more, and provided entertainment for Eddie as they drove back.

Hour 7:

“How have you never seen Jaws?” Chimney cried. Bobby sighed and Eddie had to agree, settling in for the routine argument.

“I just never watched it? I wasn’t a big fan of sharks to begin with.” Buck answered. Chimney’s mouth opened and closed several times.

“What about the sequels? Those are notoriously bad, horrible CGI, script writing, less about the water and more about stupid people being stupid.” Chimney asked. Buck shrugged, leaning back into the couch, seemingly unfazed by Chimney’s continued shock at his lack of movie knowledge.

“Again, I wasn’t the biggest fan of sharks. As long as they stayed away from me, I was fine with it. I don’t even like watching Shark Week on the Discovery channel.” Buck said.

“We’re going to be going on a Jaws marathon, aren’t we?” Bobby whispered to Eddie in a resigned tone. Sighing in defeat, knowing when to pick his battles, Eddie nodded. Maybe he could convince Chimney to go down the Aliens route, Sci-fi was a safe bet for all of them, and it might end in less bloodshed…

Hour 10:

“Clear on the third floor, Cap.” Eddie said into his comm as he and Buck did the final sweep. The fire was small; a kitchen fire that had started and hadn’t done too much damage before they got there. Injuries were minor; just some smoke inhalation and general feelings of fear for those that lived in the apartment, all of which could be resolved.

“Copy that. Start heading back down, Hen cleared the apartment owners and I’ve given the all-clear for the other apartment residents to return inside.” Bobby’s voiced reported through the device. He and Buck took it slow down the stairs, the steps were steep due to it being an older building, but as he reached the last step, he heard Buck swear behind him as he heard a crunch. Pivoting, he quickly turned, only to see Buck scowling at the ground as he lifted his foot. His best friend sighed, examining his now broken flashlight that had been crushed under his boot, and Eddie laughed at the pout on Buck’s face.

“Dammit, now Hen’s going to yell at me.”

Hour 13:

“This is the song that never ends!” Chimney sang as he helped restock the ambulance. Hen groaned, accepting the new boxes of gloves and gauze, and Chimney smiled wider. “For it goes on and on, my friend!”

Working a 24-hour shift often left them feeling tired or too hyper to rest during their downtime. Chimney was often in the latter portion; Bobby was stretched out on the recliner upstairs and Eddie was cleaning up from their late lunch.

“I’m revoking our friendship.” Hen said. “Go bother the other two.” Chimney chuckled as he handed over the last box and leaned against the open ambulance door.

“Fine. I’m sure they’ll appreciate my musical genius for the wonder that it is.” Chimney said with his usual sassy attitude. “Buckaroo!” The firefighter said gleefully as Buck came around the corner. The blonde shook his head as he fixed the sleeve on his shirt.

“Nope! I know that look, Chimney.” Buck tried to make it to the stairs, Eddie laughing from his viewpoint on the balcony, Chimney now singing at the top of his lungs. The Asian man quickly caught up to him, linking their hands together, as he pulled Buck back over to the ambulance.

“Oh my god, why?” Buck cried as Chimney started to incorporate dance moves.

“Maddie likes it.” Chimney said, pausing in his moves, before jumping into another verse.

“I’m disowning both of you.” Buck told him as Chimney leaned in to sing directly into his ear.

Hour 16:

“You would think that after all these years, they would learn how to make a cot comfortable. I’ve had better when I was in the Army and some of those things were ancient.” Eddie complained as he turned, again, trying to find a better position. Buck hummed in agreement, curled up on the bunk under his, and glared as the movement shook the frame again. This was the fourth time and Buck was tired; his eyes were heavy and his body was ready to drift off for an hour or two. Only, each time he got close to that, Eddie moved and shook the whole bedframe of the bunk beds.

“What the hell are you doing up there? Stop shaking it, man, I don’t want to explain to Bobby that I’m out of commission because you fell on me.” Buck grumbled as he pulled his blanket up to cover his shoulder more.

“Are you calling me fat?” Eddie asked, head popping into view over the edge of his bed. Buck rolled his eyes. “Wow, some loving boyfriend you are. I’ll have you know this is all muscle, Mister I know my own body fat percentage.”

“No, I’m saying I don’t want any other stupid injuries on my record.” Buck complained. “Come on, Eddie, I just want to get some sleep, move to another bunk if that one isn’t doing it for you.”

“I can’t get comfortable.” Eddie whined.

“Not my problem.” Buck said.

“You got the softer bunk.” Eddie said, pushing his lower lip out into a pout. Buck frowned; Eddie knew what that did to him, that was playing dirty.

“Again, not my problem.” Buck parroted. Eddie glared at Buck; Buck glared right back. Then, Eddie smirked.

“Eddie, don’t you dare!” Buck cried out as Eddie swung himself down and piled on top of his boyfriend. It was a mess of limbs for several moments and quite a few swear words thrown around before Eddie exclaimed in happiness, pinning himself on top of Buck’s body. Eddie sighed in delight as he got comfy, placing his head in the crook of Buck’s neck and winding his arms around his stomach.

“Ah, much better.” He smiled. Buck stared up towards the ceiling, resigned to his fate as a human pillow.

“I’m glad you’re happy.” Buck said deadpanned as he took the weight of his boyfriend. “Now, get your knee off of my spleen.”

Hour 19:

Bobby shared a look with Buck, before the younger man sighed. “Ya, I got it, go help Hen.” Bobby smiled, patting his shoulder, before skirting out of the room. The guy, clutching his stomach, stared in confusion.

“Something wrong? Am I dying?” He asked, panic rising. Buck kept him sitting, handing him the clothing that the wife had been kind enough to grab, and reassured the man that he was just fine. The call came in from a couple that, prior to this, was trying to have some alone time and the wife noticed something odd. Odd as in a pale, white worm poking out from the man’s hind end. Understandably, the wife had freaked out, which led the husband to freak out, and now here they were.

“No, Bobby’s just going to check on your wife. She mentioned feeling dizzy earlier so we just want to make sure she’s fine. We’ll have both of you out of here in no time.” He soothed, letting the man stand up, and then stepping in to steady him when he lost his balance for a moment. Buck was firmly striking sushi off his list; another worm incident and Bobby was leaving him to it. He wondered what Bobby would have done if they hadn’t been paired up for the full moon night years ago.

Hour 22:

“Two more hours.” Hen announced. She was currently slouched on the couch, Chimney next to her, Bobby taking up the last spot. The TV was on, playing an old repeat of some cop sitcom, and Eddie wondered how correct the show was. He’d have to ask Athena at some point.

“Awesome.” Eddie called out from his spot in one of the arm chairs. Buck was on the opposite chair, icing his leg, but looked a few minutes from sleep; the couple of hours of sleep helped when they had something to do, but when they stopped moving the fatigue crept in.

“Do you think coffee would help?”

“If I can find the energy to get over to the kitchen, yes.” Chimney agreed. The alarm blared again and they all rushed down the stairs, fatigue forgotten, as they slipped back into work mode.

Hour 25:

Eddie slung his work bag over his shoulder. Buck was waiting outside, confirming with Hen about the upcoming play-date for Denny and Christopher.

“Ya, Sunday should work. Karen will be there for the first half; I picked up a shift, but you guys know the routine and where everything is if you need it.” Hen said as she grabbed her car keys out of her pocket.

“We’ll be fine. I think Chris has a list on what they’re doing, so we won’t be short of activities.” Buck was half asleep, would probably sleep on the drive home in order to spend some time with Chris before he went to bed, and Eddie was glad they took his truck this time.

“Ready to go?” Buck asked when he saw Eddie walking over.

“All set. Let’s go home, my bed is calling and I wanna get some heat on your leg before you pass out.” Eddie said; Buck wasn’t being subtle about favoring his right leg. “We’ll see you later, Hen, get home safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4 people stuck in the house together...oof. Well, stay safe and healthy, everyone! Leave a comment if you wish :) 
> 
> Preview: Athena hummed softly as she gathered all of the ingredients they needed from the pantry and spice rack. It was quiet in the house for once; Harry was at a sleepover and May had decided that she wanted to stay up at college for the weekend to get ahead of her schoolwork before the holidays. It was just her and Bobby tonight and they had decided to make it date night.


	12. Chapter 12

**72\. Onion**

Athena hummed softly as she gathered all of the ingredients they needed from the pantry and spice rack. It was quiet in the house for once; Harry was at a sleepover and May had decided that she wanted to stay up at college for the weekend to get ahead of her schoolwork before the holidays. It was just her and Bobby tonight and they had decided to make it date night.

It had been weeks since the last one. Athena’s shifts had been opposite to Bobby’s and her husband had been picking up extra shifts as he could. It was the start of flu season and while the majority of his team were still healthy, for the time being, others weren’t as lucky. There were bets to see who got taken out first, she personally thought it was going to be either Hen or Eddie due to having young children. Reportedly, Chimney had been a menace at the station, wiping everything down and forcing elderberry tea on any willing, or unwilling depending on who you talked to, body. So, date night, in the comfort of their own home, and unless another citywide crisis called them away, Athena was determined to have a peaceful night with her man.

Bobby was in the shower, just coming off of a shift, and Athena had gone ahead and pulled out the usual pans and ingredients. The sparkling cider was chilling in the fridge and Bobby had turned on the stereo to some light jazz music before going to their bedroom.

“I thought you would have started already.” Bobby said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He smelled like sandalwood, dressed in his softest shirt and jeans, and Athena smiled and leaned back into his chest.

“Sure, let me do all the hard work. You just get the pleasure of eating it.” Athena sassed right back. Bobby laughed and pressed a kiss to her check.

“Well, I did feed the crew this afternoon. You’ve seen how much they eat.” Bobby teased, letting his hands wander for a moment, before kissing her again. Athena swatted his hands and instructed Bobby to start pulling the meat out of the fridge. Lasagna was the main dish tonight.

They had made it enough times that they didn’t need to check the recipe. It made enough for leftovers and had the added benefit of being filling. After running on fumes for the past two weeks, Bobby needed a good meal that he didn’t have to scarf down quickly, and Athena knew that she could take some of the extras to the station for her co-workers or put away for future late-night meals. They worked in tandem, dicing garlic and onions, browning the meat, making the filling.

They had to pause several times while they worked. Dancing along to the music, kissing outright, sometimes just leaning into one another. Those touches reassured Athena that her husband was whole and safe next to her. There had been a few rough calls, yesterday especially concerning a horrific car accident with an entire family, and Athena knew that Bobby took those to heart.

“I’m thinking of trying a new recipe for dessert.” Bobby said as they began the process of layering the lasagna. “Oh? What is it?” Athena asked as she spooned in the sauce. Bobby smiled at her, smoothing the cheese filling on, before sprinkling on the shredded cheese and adding the next layer of pasta.

“Well, it has chocolate in it, that should be enough to check off your criteria.” Bobby teased. Athena did have a certain fondness for the sweet; she fondly remembered Michael and Harry hiding chocolate all over the house in an attempt to create a hidden stash before she found it.

“Nash, do not make me punish you.” Athena warned, raising an eyebrow, which had Bobby plastering on his most innocent face. Bobby laughed.

“If you injure me, then you won’t get to try it, dear.” He reminded her, still chuckling, and Athena glared at him.

“Honestly, sometimes I wonder how you manage to be the mature one.” Athena wondered as she sprinkled the cheese on. “Fine, I’ll cut you a deal; you bake, I’ll wash, and then we can continue this later.”

“Later?” Bobby asked. Athena smiled and pressed against him.

“Later.” She promised. Bobby gazed softly at her, the back of his neck blushing a little, and she pressed another kiss to his lips. “Now, focus on dinner, or later is going to be delayed.”

Later wasn’t delayed. In fact, they finally put the lasagna in hours after they had started; Bobby quickly moving to cover the dish and place it in the fridge before turning off the appliances. Dessert was worth it, even more so when the house was still empty and she could savor her promised chocolate dessert wrapped up alongside her husband.

Date night was one of her favorite types of nights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sending positive vibes and air hugs to those who need it. Remember to be kind to yourself.


	13. Chapter 13

**78\. Tooth**

Athena didn’t know how she got roped into this.

To be fair, she understood why she had been asked; Eddie couldn’t drive due to the drugs in his system and the normal people that would have stepped in to help couldn’t. Abuela was uncomfortable driving Eddie’s truck and her own was currently in the auto mechanic shop for repairs, Peppa was currently down in Texas for a family function for the next week, Carla was managing Christopher for the day, and Buck was already slotted for a double shift and couldn’t call-out due to staffing issues. Buck would be able to care for Eddie once he was done, having the next several days off, and Athena had agreed to bring the older Diaz to the station in order for Buck to bring him home at the end of his shift so Athena could go to work after.

“Are we going now?” Eddie asked again. His eyes were glassy, as a result of whatever medication they had given him, and Athena had been asked this several times already. Eddie was currently in her car, after having a spectacular mini tantrum over the seatbelt, and they were currently heading back to the firehouse. Eddie fidgeted in his seat, plucking at the seatbelt across his chest, but he didn’t try to loosen it after Athena scolded him the first time. Buck should be getting off within the hour and Athena had texted him to let him know that they were on their way.

“Yes, Eddie. We’re going to the station so Buck can take you home.” Athena said patiently. She remembered when May got her wisdom teeth out and how hard her and Michael had laughed when she was finally asleep. Eddie hummed, nodding seriously, before sitting upright and turning to Athena.

“Is Buck there?” Eddie asked. “We should get Buck.” Athena chuckled and wished she could record this.

“Buck is at the station, Eddie, he needs to finish working.” Eddie made a little, happy sound, relaxing into his seat.

“It’s because he helps people.” Eddie drawled. “He’s so good at it. Like, the best, can we get him now?” Athena so wished she had her phone out to record this; Eddie had warned her ahead of time that he was often loose-lipped after the laughing gas was used, but Athena was still surprised.

“Eddie, he’s still working, boo. Once he’s done working Buck will take you back to your place.” The words didn’t sooth the firefighter as she thought it would. Eddie’s lip trembled and he let out a weak cry. “What’s wrong, does something hurt?”

“What if he can’t find my house? He’ll get lost!” Eddie cried. Athena glanced down at the clock at the dashboard. If she was lucky, maybe they were not on a call and Buck would be able to see the man next to her right away and help calm Eddie down.

“With the amount of times Buck has been to your place, Eddie, I don’t think he’ll have any trouble finding it.” Athena commented.

“I like when Buck’s there. I don’t want him to leave.” Eddie said and Athena laughed at the dazed look on his face. “Chris and I want him to stay.” Athena wanted to say that Buck probably wanted that, too.

“The two of you are joined at the hip these days.” Athena told him and Eddie sighed, slouching down against the seat, cries stopping for the time being.

“I gave him a drawer. For his stuff. And I hid his phone once to make him stay longer.” Eddie rattled off. “Sometimes we cuddle together in my bed. Or his, and Argo lets me hold me, even though she didn’t like it at first.” That made her lift an eyebrow; she knew the two men where tactile with one another, but cuddling? She’d had to talk it over with Hen after she handed Eddie over. “Where are we going?”

“To go see Buck.” Athena said frankly. Eddie lit up as if they hadn’t spent that last ten minutes discussing that very topic. Eddie rambled in his seat for the rest of the drive, talking about various things; asking where they were going, how blue Buck’s eyes were, how weird his socks felt, more about Buck, how much he loved his son, and back to Buck’s eyes. When they pulled up to the station, Athena parked and spotted the 118 truck in the garage. She texted Buck and told him to get out here and collect his best friend. Within minutes Buck, with Bobby following him, were walking out.

Eddie started to leave the car, halted by the seatbelt, and then once he figured that out, the door. He grumbled, complaining that his fingers didn’t work right, before Buck opened the door for him. It was a good thing the blonde decided to place himself directly in front of Eddie’s seat.

“You’re here!” Eddie said, flinging his full weight into Buck, and sagged in relief. Buck only barely kept his balance, not prepared to be body slammed. “You aren’t lost. I was sad you were lost.”

“I was lost?” Buck asked. Eddie nodded and nuzzled into the taller man’s neck. Buck looked over to Athena, who had come around to stand with Bobby, both of them grinning.

“I was worried you couldn’t find me. But Athena brought me to you. Can we go home now?” Eddie asked. Buck rubbed his back.

“I’ll take you home, Eddie. They must have given you the good stuff.” Buck attempted to step back, which wasn’t easy due to the fact that Eddie seemed to forget how to move his feet, and ended up dragging the brunette a few feet before giving up for the moment.

“You’re good stuff.” Eddie mumbled, leaning his head back to give a dopey smile at Buck, letting his hands move from Buck’s neck to his back. Bobby and Athena chuckled off to the side, knowing that Buck had it under control, and Eddie most likely wouldn’t take kindly to being separated. Then those chuckles turned to outright laughter when Eddie’s hands wandered lower.

“Okay! Let’s move those hands, Eddie.” Buck hastily said, gripping Eddie’s hands off his rear and placing them back on his shoulders.

“But you always let me touch your butt.” Eddie grumbled with a pout. “My hands are working now, so I could touch your butt. Would you still like me if I didn’t have working hands and couldn’t touch your butt, Buck?” Eddie asked, the whiny voice Athena had associated with him crying returning.

“This ought to be good.” Athena mumbled to Bobby. Buck was a light shade of red as he blushed and she noticed Hen and Chimney watching from the garage entrance behind Buck; Chimney had his phone out to record the whole thing. No doubt the video would be making its rounds in the group chat by the end of the day.

“Yes, Eddie, I would still like you, working hands or not.” Buck soothed, Eddie nodding along to every word. “Let’s keep the touching to a minimum right now, okay?”

“I can’t touch you anymore?” Eddie whispered. “Not while we’re at work and not when you’re tripping on pain medication.” Buck explained. Eddie continued to pout before returning to nuzzle into Buck’s shoulder.

“Then let’s go home and I can touch your butt.” Eddie whined. “I gave you a drawer, remember, and I found your phone even though I didn’t want to.”

“Ya, you did.” Buck said with a small smile. Buck rubbed Eddie’s back as he turned his head to Athena. “Do you have the rest of his stuff from the surgeon? I already called ahead to have his pain medication ordered so I can pick it up on the way to Eddie’s.” He asked Athena.

“Our home.” Eddie corrected him, poking Buck in the face, before returning to his cuddling.

Seeing how Eddie was clinging to Buck, Bobby offered to go back inside and grab Buck’s duffle and personal belongings. As Bobby put those things, plus the small plastic bag from the dental surgeon, Buck listened to any additional instructions from Athena, before beginning the long process of getting Eddie into the jeep.

“Where are we going?” Eddie asked, leaning against Buck, clearly feeling the drowsiness of the drugs.

“We are going to your place, Eddie. Let’s get you in the seat, now lift your legs, there we go.” Buck repeated as he helped swing Eddie’s legs into the car. Eddie wiggled in happiness, allowing Buck to buckle him in and Athena and the others were loving this. Hen and Chimney had walked closer, Chimney still recording, not that Eddie or Buck payed them any attention.

“Yes! We can do all sorts of stuff.” Eddie said as his hands reach up to pet Buck’s face and pressed his hands against Buck’s cheeks, squishing his face. “We can cuddle. Are we going now?”

“Yep, as soon as you let go of me.” Buck said as seriously as he could. Eddie nodded right back at him before his face dropped.

“I can’t let go of you.” Eddie’s lip trembled again and Athena whistled lowly.

“They’ve got him on some strong stuff, he’s been like this since he came out.” Athena said to their little group.

“Eddie, I can’t drive the car if you’re holding onto my face.” Buck tried to reason, only to have Eddie let out a weak cry and shake his head. “Alright, how about this. You can hold my hand during the drive? Sound good?”

“You’ll get lost.” Eddie whispered. “I won’t find you.” Buck gently took Eddie’s hands off of his face and placed them in the other man’s lap.

“You can watch me from the window, Eddie, I’m just going to go to the driver’s side next to you.” Buck said pointing to the driver’s seat.

The standoff went on for another five minutes, at which point Eddie had moved his hands from his lap up to Buck’s shirt. Another few minutes of waiting, the rest of them keeping back, along with some softer words that they couldn’t make out finally led to Eddie agreeing. Buck made the process quick, clearly not wanting to cause more distress, and waved his hand at them as he got into his seat and pulled out of his spot.

Athena turned to the remaining 118 team and followed them into the station. She had a little extra time before she needed to leave for her shift.

“Are those two together yet?” Athena asked as they climbed the stairs.

“They will be after this.” Hen said. “Buck was a menace today; I almost felt bad for the pharmacist on the other end of the phone.”

“Is no one is going to mention the fact that Eddie couldn’t keep his hands off of Buck? And that he has stuff at Eddie’s?” Chimney asked. “Or that they cuddle on a regular basis?”

Chimney did send the video in, which got plenty of laughs from Maddie and Carla, and the lone text from Buck saying: If Eddie kills you, I’m not stopping him. When they started texting the group chat later on that day to check in and see how Eddie was doing, they got a picture message from Buck. In it, Eddie was curled up on top of Buck, with the caption: I can’t move more than ten feet away without him following me, but at least the drugs wore off.

If anyone noticed that Buck made that picture his lock screen on his phone during the next shift, no one said a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I've got enough writing ideas to last me during this quarantine time. Hope everyone else is doing alright <3 leave a comment if you want :)


	14. Chapter 14

**89\. Horror**

“A haunted house, really?” Hen asked skeptically. Chimney was bouncing on his feet, grinning from ear to ear, and leaned forward to point to the flyer in her hands.

“Yep! It’s a fundraiser for charity and it just so happens that we all have that evening free. Any children are taken care of, I already cleared it with Karen, and we are going as a group.” Chimney told her. Hen had been friends, best friends really, with Chimney for years. She should have been used to his antics by this point. Mostly, she just was surprised; that he had taken the time to check the available dates and ensure that her wife and son were in agreement.

“Sure, why not, we might get some good laughs out of it.” Hen said and she smiled when Chimney lit up.

“Oh, we so are, Hen.” He lowered his voice and stepped closer to her. “A little birdie told me that some of our friends aren’t the biggest lovers of horror.” Hen couldn’t help but laugh. Eddie and Chimney were big horror movie junkies, loved getting scared, and while Hen was fine with that sort of stuff, she knew that Bobby and Buck weren’t the biggest fans of anything spooky.

“Would that little birder happen to be a certain firefighter or police officer?” Hen asked as they moved down to the garage floor. Chimney made a lock and key motion with his hand just above his lips.

“I’ve been sworn to secrecy. It’ll be good, Hen, just trust me on this.”

The day of the haunted house, which actually consisted of a hay ride followed by a 3-mile hike through the different attractions, everyone was pumped. Well, mostly everyone; Bobby was giving his tired dad look when he thought no one was looking and Buck was clearly dragging his feet as he and Eddie walked up. Their group wasn’t the largest, but they did decide to pair off just in case they got separated. Chimney and Eddie went together, leading the group, Hen and Athena in the middle, with Bobby and Buck bringing up the rear. Neither looked particularly thrilled with that idea.

It started off fine. The hay ride was enjoyable, until the scares started, and Eddie couldn’t stop laughing with each successful scare the actors got. When it was time to disembark off the truck, Bobby and Buck both jumped as one of the actors, dressed as some sort of scarecrow, stepped out from behind a stack of crates and creeped behind them. There were five different sections of the haunted attraction once they hit the hiking portion. Eddie and Chimney were having the time of their life, trying to scare some of the actors, and Bobby or Buck once or twice, while they walked. Hen and Athena got scared a few times but they were mostly laughing at the others. Bobby and Buck were clearly trying to push through, sometimes only making it a few feet before the next jump scare happened.

On one memorable occasion, there was a big guy, almost as tall as Buck, wielding a chainsaw. He locked eyes with Buck, who had to biggest NOPE face ever, and bolted. The chainsaw guy gave chase, turning on the blade and making the appropriate sounds as he went. Eddie and Chimney were in tears laughing, trying to hold one another up, and Hen shook her head. She motioned to Athena to stay with Bobby as she went ahead. She caught up to Buck, who had somehow been pulled into a side conversation by one of the actors, this one dressed as a witch, and he looked relieved as she walked over.

“Everything alright?” She asked. Buck blushed in embarrassment and the witch smiled sympathetically at him.

“It was Donnie’s fault, really. He sometimes gets a little too into the whole chainsaw murderer vibe.” The witch said. “Your friend looked a little spooked so we just stepped off the side for a second.” Hen thanked her, and she went back to her work, while Hen pressed against Buck, using her hand to pat his shoulder.

“You really aren’t a big fan of haunted houses, are you?” She asked him. Buck looked away, scanning the next group, but none of them looked over at them and the actors didn’t approach them. Maybe the witch had given them a heads up.

“I went with Maddie once. I had to be five, maybe six, and we got separated. Ended up by myself and the actors there weren’t as nice as the ones here.” Buck said. Hen frowned.

“What do you mean they weren’t as nice?”

“They saw a lost kid and continued to scare the shit out of him.” Buck told her bluntly. “A group of high schoolers found me crying against one of the sets and helped me find Maddie. Haven’t been to one of these things since then.”

“Why didn’t you tell any of us, Buck, we wouldn’t have made you go.” Buck didn’t talk about his childhood much and what he revealed was done in little pieces. All of them had gotten good at putting those pieces into a bigger picture and it never gave them a good outlook.

“Chimney was excited, Eddie too, and I didn’t think it would be that bad if we went together.” Buck explained. Hen nudged him until he looked at her.

“Buck, Chimney would never force you to go to something that makes you uncomfortable. Eddie wouldn’t want you to either. We could have found a different activity or one of us could have done some of the other attractions outside of the haunted house with you while the rest of us did this.” Hen replied gently. “Bobby isn’t a big fan of these things, we had a less than humorous call at a mirror house a few years before you started, so I don’t think he’ll mind staying with you if we come back to this.”

Buck didn’t look convinced, just guilty, and she hated that look on him. Since the lawsuit, it showed more and more, as if Buck was expecting the other shoe to drop at the slightest mistake. Hen saw one of the park officials, who she knew would help them at getting off the trail, and came to a decision.

“Chimney and Eddie are having a good time together. Bobby’s got Athena with him. So, I’m thinking that you and I step out and get something warm to drink and look at the vendors until the others are done. Sound like a plan?” Hen offered. Buck stared at her for a moment, then nodded, already looking more relaxed. The park official helped them exit, trying to make light of the situation by saying that Donnie always scared someone a bit too hard, holding the side gate open for them. Hen had Buck smiling, not at his usual level, by the time they got back to the main field. They bought some warmed apple cider, Hen sighing as she sipped it; it had been getting cooler in LA and Hen’s hands were cold.

They spent time wandering around, looking at the decorations, occasionally taking pictures. She made sure to send a message to Eddie and Athena, telling them that Buck was with her, in case they were wondering where they were. The pair was sitting on one of the benches off to the side, Hen attempting to find instructions on how to make one of those Halloween spiderwebs, when the rest of their friends walked up.

“I’ve got video of Eddie faceplanting into the ground.” Chimney announced. Eddie blushed, sitting down and wrapping his arm around Buck, while Chimney told the story. Hen laughed, glad that they had enjoyed themselves, but mostly impressed that Chimney wasn’t calling attention to Buck’s sudden disappearance. They stayed a little longer, Athena and Bobby getting into a heated competition at the ring toss game booth, before heading home. They had come in separate cars, Hen and Chimney carpooling, and Hen could tell that Chimney was dying to ask some questions. Hen decided to throw him a bone.

“Buck isn’t a fan of haunted houses. I think that next year, we keep him with Bobby, just outside of the actual attraction.”

“Or find other Halloween things.” Chimney offered. “Eddie was freaking out, that’s why he tripped, he didn’t settle down until we got your text.” He glanced at Hen from the corner of his eye as he merged onto the highway. “I’m not going to like the reason as to why he bolted like that, am I?”

“No, but I think we may be able to work up to this, if he wants.” Hen said. “Maybe we try a smaller one or have Eddie stick with him?”

“It bothers me that he still went through with this even when he was uncomfortable.” Chimney said with a huff after a few minutes. “Maddie is going to be pissed; she wanted to go with us, but couldn’t get work off, and even she was surprised Buck went.” After hearing what Buck had told her, Hen wasn’t that shocked; Buck acted too much like the golden retriever she jokingly said he was at times. Willingly to please, even to a fault.

“We talked about it. Eddie will probably know too, after tonight, but don’t try to make a big deal about it.” Hen warned. Chimney kept his word and the next shift he didn’t call attention to it, only asking if Buck was alright once at the start of the day.

It was still early in October and Chimney seemed to be on his usual holiday kick. He invited them over to the shared apartment he had with Maddie for some pumpkin craving one weekend. It was a lot of fun, and Chimney privately slipped her a list of less extreme haunted houses with a variety of other activities to do while the rest of their friends were busy. Hen wasn’t sure if they would attempt another haunted house, at least not this year as a whole group, but she was hopeful for next year. Until she saw the name of the first choice on the list.

“Oh, hell no, this one is out!” Hen cried as she noticed it was a 5-mile trial through an abandoned asylum. “I am not going to be getting that close to living a real-life horror movie, Chim! We’ve talked about this!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got my list of things to keep myself busy while we ride this out. Stay safe and healthy peeps. Leave a comment if you want :)


	15. Chapter 15

**91\. Frame**

Hen was never one of those people to stress over getting a memorable picture. Her mother had been one of those people, often stressing for weeks over the details; color coordinating outfits, cute backgrounds, the works. Hen enjoyed simple shots, little candid pictures that showed a brief moment in their life, ones that only took a few seconds or minutes before everyone resumed what they were doing. Now, though, it was different because she had a family. She was married to Karen and her wife adored pictures. They had two whole walls full of frames, large and small, some going back years. There was even one that was among the first photos ever taken of the couple, the two of them baby faced and grinning, just a few weeks into their relationship.

Then Denny was born and he became their world.

Hen started taking more pictures, with their giant camera and later on her cell phone, not wanting to miss anything. Now, they had school pictures, Halloween costumes, birthdays to add to their wall. Hen wasn’t sure what they were going to do if they ran out of space since she didn’t want to take any down. When Denny was a bit older, and Karen had mentioned that she wanted to talk more about fostering, then Hen knew their lives were about to change again.

Those months leading up to them getting approved were some of the longest in Hen’s memory. Karen made spreadsheets, stress cleaned the house, and had Hen acting like a nervous wreck as they waited and waited. Then, it seemed like it had been worth it when they got the phone call: they had passed all the background and reference checks, the home visit, and it was now just a matter of receiving a call about a child in need.

Denny had asked a bunch of questions in the beginning. Where the other child would sleep, why they would be coming to live here, would they like him? Hen and Karen couldn’t give him specific details, such as if the child would be a boy that loved monster trucks as much as him, but they did say that they needed to make this new child feel comfortable and loved. Of course, Denny could understand that, and set to work.

He helped pick out the new room décor for the guest room turned child bedroom. Soft blue sheets and curtains with little stars on them. Karen picked out a desk, in case it was an older child, and Denny insisted that it needed a rocket spaceship lamp, complete with a comfortable black and blue chair. There were several toys that came along with their shopping trip, including a tiny plush elephant. Denny disappeared to his room after dinner and emerged just as they were finishing cleaning the kitchen. A hand-crafted frame made out of popsicle sticks was set gently on the table in front of his parents. Karen smiled softly at it as Hen picked her son up for a hug.

Inside, a piece of paper with every color in the rainbow detailing a house, three stick figures with their names on top, and the words welcome home at the bottom. It was placed on the desk with care.

A month later they got a call; a little girl, Nina, needed a placement. They immediately said yes. The initial meeting went well. Nina seemed to be comfortable with Karen, and she smiled frequently at Hen. Denny was excited and after a few false starts the two children hit it off. Nina was young, just shy of five years old, and was content to follow Denny’s lead, with their son only being a year older. They played together with few tantrums for the first few days until they had their first meltdown and needed a break from one another. Nina was worried that it was all her fault, which led to the poor girl dissolving into tears, and she ran to Karen when this happened. However, once Nina realized that she wasn’t about to be punished outside of a few minutes by herself to calm down and it was explained that she and Denny would apologize to one another, she became more settled in their home.

That first week flew by and soon it was coming up on four months of Nina being with them. They received pieces of information from the case manager and social worker; the father was out of the picture and the mother was attempting to get clean. The social worker told them that it was the third time the mother was going to rehab and it most likely wouldn’t stick as she seemed oblivious to her situation and what it was doing to her child. There was also talk of the mother signing away her parental rights.

A month later and they got more news. Nina’s mother had made her decision and relinquished her parental rights. This led to Karen and Hen having another long series of serious conversations. Nina was growing in their home, adored spending time with them and Denny, and was opening up more and more to their friends. Just last week Nina had managed to sleep through the night without nightmares. She was thriving in school, was currently going through a stuffed animal phase, and was bonding with the other children in their friend group.

They approached the social worker and case manager first. After getting the information they needed, as well as setting the next steps into motion, they went to their children. Karen made a nice dinner, pasta with plenty of peas and carrots in it since that’s what both of their kids were craving, and Hen got them all ice cream for dessert. When everything was eaten, they went to the living room and piled onto the couch.

“We have something we would like to talk to both of you about.” Karen began. Denny was curled up against Karen; Nina preferring to remain with Hen seated in her lap. “Nina, do you remember when we talked to you about your mommy?”

“She said that she couldn’t be my mommy anymore.” Nina said softly. “And that she was going away.” Nina had a quiet voice and didn’t like speaking loudly. It was an area they were working on as it seemed like it was a confidence issue and a lack of knowing when to voice her needs.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean she stops loving you.” Hen reminded her. They wanted to make sure that Nina knew that her biological mother loved her and never doubted that fact, even as they both hoped to step into a permanent parental role. “Well, Karen and I were wondering if you wanted to stay here with us.”

“You would live with Hen, Denny, and I.” Karen explained. “You can still go to school with all your friends, and play with Denny, and Hen and I would look after you.”

“For how long?” Nina asked after a minute. She seemed to understand that this was not a normal conversation, even Denny was quiet, not bouncing on the couch like he normally would.

“Forever, if you want.” Hen told her with a smile. “We’d love to adopt you, Nina, and have you be a part of our family.” Nina didn’t say anything for a moment before getting up off Hen’s lap and walking down the hall to her room. Hen watched her walk away with wide eyes, desperately trying not cry, and Karen seemed to be in a similar state.

“Mama?” Denny was frowning, not understanding why Nina had left. “Is Nina okay?”

“She might be a little overwhelmed, sweetie, let’s give her some space, alright?” Karen suggested. Denny wasn’t happy with his mother’s instructions and pouted on the couch next to her wife. Hen was thinking of what to do next when Nina came back down the hall, holding something in her hands. She held it out to Hen, who took it, identifying it to be the framed picture that Denny had drawn months ago. Nina had loved it, always looking at it before bedtime, which made Denny feel proud of giving his foster sister something so special that she enjoyed. Only, something had been added to the picture. Before, there had been three stick figures in the drawing. Now, there were four. A little one, drawn it green crayon, labeled with Nina’s name.

“I wanna stay.” Nina said. “I wanna stay here at home with you.”

This time, Hen did cry, but Karen quickly explained that these were happy tears. They spent that night crying and hugging before both kids requested to watch a movie. Karen suggested watching it in the master bedroom, with the big TV, and the two adults stayed up through the night watching their children sleep.

They kept the adoption process a secret until Easter.

When their friends asked, Hen told them that they had gotten renewed for an additional six months of fostering. One morning, Karen told her what plan she had for the yearly photo shoot and Hen loved it instantly. They went to the photographer, who knew them since they started bringing Denny, and had the pictures taken before paying and agreeing to come back in a week to collect the prints.

“Hey, I’ve got something for you guys!” Hen called out when she walked into the station. Karen and her had agreed to this; Nina didn’t like being the center of attention, and with the two kids recently getting over a nasty stomach bug, Hen didn’t want to risk having company over. She couldn’t wait anymore and knew that Karen would be doing the same at her own workplace.

“Someone’s in a good mood.” Eddie noted as he came over to the table where Hen dropped her bag.

“It’s a great morning.” Hen said, then walked over the balcony to call the rest of her co-workers over. When everyone was upstairs, she pulled out the white envelope, grinning from ear to ear. “Well, we got some pictures done last week and I wanted to show you guys.” Hen said, excitement thrumming through her veins, as she took them out of the bigger envelope. She had asked for multiple copies, knowing that everyone would want a copy, and distributed them amongst her friends. Then, she waited as they opened the paper slip the photo was in, taking in the various expressions. She could tell that it was taking a second to sink in, as eyes danced across the picture, then up to her, then back to the picture. Hen didn’t have to wait long before the kitchen exploded into noise.

“Oh, my god!” Chimney said, quickly wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. “She’s adopted, you’re a mom again, Hen!”

“Nina looks so happy!” Buck said and Hen could only laugh.

“She hasn’t stopped smiling since it became official.” Hen replied.

She was treated to more hugs, plenty of congratulations, and forced to make a phone call to her wife so her team could offer the same excitement and joy to her.

That picture was framed and placed on the mantel in the living room, as well as in each child’s bedroom at their request. It was an Easter theme, soft colors, and the four of them sitting on a series of crates with little Pokka dotted eyes scattered around them. They held up a sign between them which read: Our first Easter as a family of four! Then, one with just Nina, their daughter beaming, holding up another sign: The Easter Bunny brought me a forever family! Officially adopted! Hen couldn’t wait to start adding more pictures to their walls. Maybe that was how she could convince Karen that they needed a bigger house, envisioning large walls, plenty of shelves, so many options to display snapshots of their little family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pro's of this quarantine: cuddles with my dog, extra time with my family, and the ability to catch-up on some hobbies that have fallen on the wayside. Con's: stuck inside with my family with limited breaks, my start date for my new job was delayed, and many of my friends and family are stressed. How's everyone else holding up? Leave a comment if you want :)


	16. Chapter 16

**93\. Ring**

Eddie couldn’t remember when he had been so excited for Buck to come back home.

Prior to moving in together, when Buck came over for the weekend it was because their schedules lined up and Christopher demanded extra ‘Bucky cuddles’. Leaving was always hard, as Christopher had developed plenty of requests that ensured that Bucky would stay longer and longer, Eddie often piling on with his son. Since getting together over two years ago, Chris had adored when Buck came over, calling it ‘Bucky-Diaz sleepovers’, and had a blast waking them both up in the mornings, demanding hugs and pancakes. Christopher had been ecstatic when they told him that Buck wouldn’t have to continue going back and forth between apartments; Buck’s lease was up and Eddie asked him to move in.

“Is he back yet?” Christopher asked impatiently as he came into the kitchen. The window looked out into the parking lot but Christopher was still just a hair shy of being able to see over the sink to look for Buck’s car.

“Not yet, mijo.” Eddie said, smiling, as he lifted his son up and balanced him on his hip. Christopher snuggled in, relaxed, and Eddie treasured these moments; it wouldn’t be long before he wasn’t able to pick his son up anymore. “He’ll be home soon.”

Eddie had sent Buck out to complete a list of errands in order to get him out of the house. He felt bad, as they often did those things together, but Buck obviously couldn’t be in the apartment while they set things up. They had made a good meal, one that Christopher was proud of, and Eddie had gone out the previous day and gotten them their favorite mineral water and wine for later. At Christopher’s insistence, since they couldn’t just have dinner and no dessert, Eddie splurged a bit and got them all a platter of chocolate covered fruit. Christopher wanted to help make things special and ordered Eddie to assist in making a fort in the living room. After doing it so many times with Buck, Christopher was a pro, and he directed Eddie from his position on the chair. So, dinner was taken care of and keeping warm in the stove, the fort was ready to go with their favorite movie cued up, and Eddie had the little black box that had been hiding in his old duffle bag hidden in his pocket.

Christopher cheered, which brought Eddie back to the present, and started telling Eddie to put him down as Buck’s jeep pulled up into his spot. With a laugh, he gently put Chris on his feet, and let go when he was situated on his crutches. Just as Buck opened the door, Christopher came around the corner and demanded to be hugged.

“You’re home!” He giggled as Buck picked him up. Eddie smiled as he leaned against the wall and watched his boyfriend and son. “We made dinner.”

“Oh, did you?” Buck asked as he walked further into the place. Eddie collected the two bags, most likely the craft supplies for Christopher’s upcoming science project, which allowed Buck to continue holding Christopher with both arms, and walked away to put them in his son’s room. “Are we doing movie night, Superman?” Buck asked when he spotted the fort. Christopher nodded and snuggled further in Buck’s hold. Christopher broke out into giggles, excited about tonight, and Eddie could understand the feeling.

It had been a long three weeks, from getting the ring, to talking to their friends, to making sure that Buck didn’t find out. Eddie leaned in for a brief kiss as he came back and ushered his boys into the kitchen. They enjoyed dinner, a spicy pasta dish with chicken and shrimp, talking and having a good time. Christopher, as he normally did, commanded their attention and had both of them smiling throughout the meal. Dinner petered out, and Christopher went off to his room for a little bit, while Eddie and Buck cleaned out. Eddie was still smiling as he loaded up the dishwasher. Buck wrapped his arms around his waist and pressed a kiss to his neck.

“What’s got you so happy tonight?” Buck asked. Eddie turned his head to look at his boyfriend. He was a tiny bit sad that he would retiring that title, but he was, hopefully, exchanging it be a better one.

“What, can’t a man be happy to spend a night in with his boyfriend and son?” Eddie teased. Buck laughed and kissed him again before letting go. “Do me a favor and pull out the fruit tray from the fridge?”

“Sure.” Buck said as he did as was asked. “Doesn’t explain why Christopher has been giggling the entire day or why everyone seems so interested in what we’re doing today.”

Maddie knew that Eddie had kicked Buck out of the house for the day, which meant that Chimney knew, which meant that by the end of the hour the rest of their friends knew. Eddie couldn’t blame them for being excited; it was a long time coming, even if they took a while to get together. While Bobby, Hen, Karen, and Athena were being calm and cool about it, Chimney and Maddie were impatient and wanted to know everything as it happened.

“Maybe they were just bored. And Christopher is just a happy kid today.” Eddie replied. Christopher had been the first one they told when they started dating. There was a brief transition period, as Christopher didn’t want to see Buck leave like his mother, but he slowly lost that fear when he saw just how much Buck loved him. The boy had a special spot in Buck’s heart since they met, which only grew over the years.

“He’s always a happy kid.” Buck corrected. Eddie chuckled and stepped closer, pulling Buck close by his hips, and kissed him again. Suddenly, he didn’t want to wait until later. His son was home, his boyfriend was in front of him, and Eddie was done waiting. Giving another kiss, one that left Buck breathless, Eddie stepped back and called out for Christopher. His son peeked out of his room and met his dad in the hallway.

“Let’s go into your fort.” Eddie told him as Christopher started to clap.

“Are you doing it now?” Christopher whispered. Eddie nodded and watched with a grin as Christopher speed walked over to Buck, who was finishing the dishes, and began pulling the taller man by his hand to the living room. “Buck, come on, it’s fort time!” It took a few minutes to get situated; most forts weren’t suited for two grown men, but they made it work. Christopher was snuggled in between them and he looked up to his father with a look that clearly meant ‘let’s go’. Eddie tangled their hands together.

“You know, I was thinking about something.” Eddie started. Buck leaned his head back, focusing on him, and Christopher began to play with Buck’s free hand. “We need to get you a new name.”

“A new name?” Buck asked. Christopher was barely holding in his excitement, glancing between his dad and Buck.

“Yes. See, Christopher and I were talking and we both decided that while Buckley is a good last name, we found one that is better suited for you.” Eddie said. Buck’s eyes gleamed at him, mouth twitching into a smile, and he gripped Eddie’s hand tighter.

“What would that be?” Buck prompted him. Eddie shifted so he was on his knees in front of Buck with Christopher seated in Buck’s lap.

“We’ve been to hell and back, Evan. You’ve had my back, and I’ve had yours, and you’ve become someone essential to Chris and I.” Eddie began, smiling at Christopher as he laughed at the swear word his father said. “I’ve had you as a best friend, and then I got to have you be my boyfriend, and now I want more. Two years won’t ever be enough for either of us.” Eddie gestured down to Christopher.

Taking a deep breath, Eddie let go of Buck’s hand and shifted his own to his pocket and pulled out the black ring box. He had agonized over it for a long time. Buck wasn’t a big jewelry guy, and with their line of work he wanted something durable, as well as sentimental. Eventually, he enlisted Christopher and Maddie to help; it was a simple silver band with two tiny stones, his and Christopher’s birthstones. A little piece of their family for Buck to have on him always. He talked to Bobby and had a silicon one in the same shade of silver ordered and would be delivered in a week for Buck to wear during their shifts.

“Evan Buckley, would you do Christopher and I the honor of becoming Evan Diaz and marry me?” Eddie asked, voice soft, and slightly trembling.

“Yes,” Buck said, eyes shining. His voice wavered in a similar way. “Yes, a million times, yes.” Eddie laughed in relief and joy, Christopher following suit, and Eddie slid the ring on. A perfect fit. Eddie couldn’t resist kissing his fiancé and then the three of them dissolved into a pile of limbs as they sat together. They couldn’t stop looking at the band of metal on Buck’s hand. They eventually took a picture of all of them smiling and then of the ring; the resulting flood of messages left Eddie feeling all warm inside. He was still a little sad that Buck wasn’t his boyfriend anymore, but fiancé was an incredible new title for him.

And, one day in the near future, he’d get to call Buck his husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What was last nights episode???


	17. Chapter 17

**02\. Systematic**

“I’m trying to be optimistic, Miss. Buckley,” The doctor said, bringing a hand up to rub at his eyes. “This fever is concerning, as is the fact that we haven’t been able to manage his pain. We still need to go back in for another surgery in the next day or so if we hope to salvage anything of the limb.”

Maddie nodded, feeling trapped as she sat beside her sleeping brother. The morphine was doing its job, keeping Buck asleep and without pain, and left her with the task of talking to the doctor.

“You mentioned that the pain would be worse in the beginning.” She pointed out. “It isn’t uncommon following an injury or a reconstructive surgery, correct?” The doctor nodded, readjusting his hold on the patient file in his hands, and glanced at her brother before coming back to her.

“Yes, that is correct. However, we aren’t not looking at one lone surgery. Mr. Buckley will most likely need one or two more surgeries within the year, in addition to the physical rehabilitation, and I’m concerned that his pain is already becoming hard to control.” He explained. Maddie didn’t say anything, choosing instead to stare at her brother, taking him in.

Buck didn’t look great. Bruises littered his body, along with stitches, scrapes, and the eyesore of a white cast on his left leg. IV lines and wires were attached to him, as well as a nasal canula of oxygen, and a heart monitor. The steady beeps assured her that her brother was alive. Alive and still whole.

“What are you suggesting?” Maddie finally asked, giving the doctor an opening, and his face softened as he recognized the out she was offering him.

“Miss. Buckley, with the new development of the fever, as well as the upcoming surgery we know has to happen, I’m concerned that this could turn into an SSI. Your brother’s body is attempting to heal, and if we continue to bombard his body, it might send it back into decline. He was already in shock when admitted and I don’t think I need to remind you how close we were to losing him.”

No, he didn’t; those hellish hours at the hospital would forever haunt her memories. No one wanted to leave, especially Eddie and Bobby, and they were there when each bit of news came out. When the doctor had told them that Buck made it, it was met with relief, until they got the rundown of the injuries. Blood loss severe enough to require two transfusions. A concussion. No internal bleeding, bruised ribs, and, of course, a crushed left leg. They had managed to salvage it, but more surgeries would be needed down the road, and no one was quite sure what the nerve damage would be. There might be limited nerve damage that could heal over time or the limb might be so damaged that it would be better to amputate.

“You want to take the leg.” Maddie stated. Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears. The doctor nodded with sympathetic eyes.

“We might be looking at that option. Obviously, I want to do everything to avoid that decision, but if the next surgery doesn’t go well or this fever continues to climb and infection sets in, amputation may end up being the only choice.” Maddie gripped Buck’s hand. The IV was in this one, as was an O2 sensor, so she was gentle. Even parts of his hands were scraped. She knew her brother. He was a fighter, had always been one, and while he might be down at the moment, he could keep going.

“We continue with the current medication management and schedule the next reconstructive surgery tomorrow.” Maddie said. The doctor agreed, though he was clearly hesitant, and left the room. Maddie pulled her chair closer and used her free hand to brush his hair back. “You’re going to be okay.” She whispered.

There was a light knock on the door and Maddie turned. Bobby was there, bag in hand, and she tried to give him a smile as he walked in. It must not have been that convincing, as he opened his arms for a hug, and Maddie returned it.

“How’s our boy?” Bobby asked when Maddie sank back into her seat. Bobby pulled up the other open chair.

“He’s doing alright. They’ve got him on morphine and the anesthesia is still working its way out, so he’ll most likely sleep for the rest of the night into tomorrow.” Maddie reported. “The doctor was in a little while ago, said Buck would go back into surgery tomorrow.” She paused as she tried to find the words. “The doctor mentioned amputation if it doesn’t go well or his fever gets worse.”

Bobby tensed at the word, amputation, and leaned forward to rest his hand on Buck’s knee. They didn’t talk, understanding that the space was not idle for random conversation.

“Buck’s strong.” Bobby mused. “He’ll be alright. They’ve got him on medicine for the fever and tomorrow’s surgery will go well.”

It had too. Maddie didn’t know what would happen if it didn’t, if Buck lost his leg, lost his entire livelihood. Her phone buzzed, the group chat blowing up asking for details, and Maddie figured that calling might be best. Besides, Bobby deserved to have some time alone with Buck, and she needed to stretch her legs. She wouldn’t be any use to Buck if she was exhausted.

“I’m going to take a walk, get some coffee, and let the others know what’s going on.” Maddie stood up and winced as her knees popped. She wasn’t aware that she had been sitting for that long. “Do you want one?”

“That would be nice.” Bobby agreed, taking Maddie’s chair, and she leaned down and pressed a kiss to Buck’s forehead. The hallways were quiet, reminding her how late it was, and she quickly found the cafeteria, got two coffees and stopped in an empty waiting room. She called Chimney, telling him of the new details, and let him know that Bobby was with her. Chimney agreed to pass on the information to Hen and Eddie, before telling her that the three of them would be back tomorrow.

Bobby was still in his previous position when she entered the room. Buck had shifted slightly, head turned towards Bobby, and the older man was gently talking to him. She softly knocked on the door and walked further into the room.

“I come bearing gifts.” She tried to joke, handing the cup to Bobby, who took it and thanked her.

“Thanks.” Bobby said, taking a sip, not taking his eyes off her brother. “He was getting a little restless, might be the anesthesia wearing off, but he calmed down quickly.”

The night dragged by. Nurses came in and check on the monitors, the drips, ensuring that her brother was as comfortable as he could be. Bobby and Maddie stayed, only moving to fetch another round of coffee or to stretch their legs, ultimately staying until the morning shift came in. The bag that Bobby came in with, which she later recognized as one of Buck’s duffle bags, contained things from Buck’s apartment. Clothing, some toiletries, and a few other things that Maddie didn’t get a chance to look at.

By mid-morning, the surgical team arrived and came to collect her brother. She kissed his forehead again, throat tight, and watched with Bobby as Buck disappeared down the hall and behind a set of doors they couldn’t go through. They walked back to the waiting room, soon joined by Chimney, and later Eddie and Hen. Hen brought them some hearty food that helped replenish their strength, Chimney brought her some clean clothes, and Eddie was a solid presence for the rest of them. It was just her and Chimney in the afternoon; Bobby, Hen, and Eddie had a shift to report to, and Maddie promised to text them with any news. The doctor came around the corner and Maddie stood up, Chimney holding her hand, and it felt like her heart was about to burst.

“Family of Evan Buckley?” He called out. Maddie raised her hand, pulling Chimney with her, and the doctor began giving them the rundown.

The surgery had gone better than expected. One metal rod and four screws were used to stabilize the bone; they would need to be removed once the bone healed. The nerves were intact and the damaged muscle could be regained. Even better, Buck’s labs came back and showed no signs of any SSI’s. So long as he didn’t develop any signs of a systemic infection, he wouldn’t lose his leg, and was looking at discharge in the next couple of days. Maddie was weak with relief, leaning into Chimney, and they both listened as the doctor explained that Buck was being moved back to his room and they could go see him soon. They walked back to their seats, Maddie letting Chimney tell the others, as she had a moment of relief. Her brother wouldn’t lose his leg. She wouldn’t have to make the life altering choice.

The others were ecstatic. Bobby texted to say he would be back after his shift was done, most likely with Athena, and that he would bring Maddie and Chimney dinner. Hen and Eddie mentioned that they would be by tomorrow, as they both had children to care for, but Eddie said he would get the guest room at his place ready. Buck’s new apartment had a several full flights of stairs and he was going to be living alone; from what it sounded like, Eddie wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Chimney pulled her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, as she used her sleeve to wipe away her tears. As they waited for the signal to go back to Buck’s hospital room, Maddie allowed herself a small minute to relax. Her brother was going to be alright. For the first time since the nightmare of yesterday, Maddie thought that Buck could get through this. There was still a long road of recovery, Maddie wasn’t going to ignore that part of this, but she was content to let it go for the time being. Her brother was alive, still had both legs, and she was going to able to see him soon.

That was all Maddie needed right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you want :) If you are currently under quarantine, what are some things you are doing to keep busy? Stay safe and healthy peeps!


	18. Chapter 18

**104\. Illness**

It was inevitable each year.

The yearly round of people getting sick, even with the flu shot, and Bobby knew that one by one his crew would get sick. Hopefully, they would be able to avoid anyone going to the ER; several years ago, they needed to go for Hen who got dehydrated and needed additional IV fluids to combat the vomiting. They tried to be proactive this year. Everyone taking precautions to wash their hands, wipe down surfaces, get their flu shot, and consume plenty of fluids and healthy food. Bobby knew his team was trying. The flu, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care. Eventually, all of his friends got sick and Bobby just stood there, watching and changing the schedule, waiting for it to finish going around the 118.

Chimney

It was ironic that one of the medics of the team got taken out first.

Chimney hardly ever called out, so when Bobby got a call from the other man an hour before his shift, Bobby knew something had happened. His brain jumped to worst case scenario before he stopped that train of thought. They had made it almost six months without some life altering crisis and Bobby wanted it to last as long as possible.

“Hey, Cap.” Chimney croaked out into the receiver. “I’m calling out.”

“Please tell me it isn’t what I think it is?” Bobby asked, fingers crossed for something else, maybe a migraine or car troubles.

“Well, my temperature is 102.4, I’ve got some lovely chills and aches going on, and I’ve praised the porcelain gods twice this morning.” Bobby winced as Chimney coughed over the line. “I’ve got the flu, Bobby.”

Bobby told him to take it easy, to text or call them if he needed anything, and reiterated that Chimney stay home and rest. After that, he made another call and got a per diem member in to cover Chimney’s spot. They might be able to make it work with just Eddie and Hen on the paramedic side, but that left him and Buck on coordinating measures which could easily overwhelm someone, especially if they needed to go inside a fire. The benefit of having a team of five meant that one person could float when needed.

He went to the kitchen and started wiping everything down; Bobby couldn’t be sure what Chimney had touched, sadly, and Chimney had worked a shift yesterday. As did everyone else on his team. Eddie walked up the stairs, still rubbing his eyes, and spotted Bobby in the kitchen. He took in the way Bobby was cleaning everything and sighed.

“Let me guess, someone called out with the flu?” Eddie asked. Bobby nodded his head.

“Chimney called out. Better wipe everything down and be careful with handling stuff in the truck.” Bobby ordered. “Let Buck and Hen know, would you? Might as well text Maddie, seeing as how she’s over at Chimney’s often.” Resigned, Eddie saluted and went to go inform the others. So, it began.

Eddie

The thing with having children is that any germs they pick up from school, they bring home, and share with their parents.

Eddie was pretty good with keeping Christopher’s belongings clean, ensured he got enough fruits, vegetables, and took a multivitamin each day. So, he didn’t think anything of it when he picked up his son from school after his shift and Chris demanded to be carried. He did have gym that day, which occasionally tired him out since it was at the end of the school day, and Eddie didn’t hesitate to complete the request. Christopher was quiet on the drive home and turned down a snack when they got inside.

“Are you feeling okay, mijo?” Eddie asked, worried, as Christopher never said no to a snack. His son shrugged and leaned into him. “Why don’t we put on a movie and snuggle on the couch?” As his son went to go pick out a movie, Eddie grabbed an extra blanket and his phone.

Christopher didn’t settle during the movie, fidgeting from his place on Eddie’s chest, before he suddenly went white. Years of being a parent meant that Eddie knew what that look meant. It also meant that he had no chance as avoiding it; Christopher was sick on himself, Eddie, and the floor. Eddie handled it with practiced ease, soothing his son and setting him up in the bathroom, stripping them both of their soiled clothes, and then tending to the mess in the living room. Christopher was running a temperature, and Eddie knew what that meant. After he got Christopher comfortable on the couch, armed with a bucket, Eddie quickly texted Buck, who was supposed to come over later that evening, knowing that his fate was sealed.

>>> Abort mission. Christopher is sick. Probably the flu.

<<< Nooo. You need me to pick up anything? I can drop it off at the door?

Eddie checked his cabinets, which didn’t have enough to last more than a day or two, and quickly sent Buck a list of things he needed. As he walked back over to the couch, where his son was sitting was a frown, Eddie tried not to feel upset. They tried hard this year and the stupid flu still came down on them.

<<< You would be the best if you did. Don’t come inside, I don’t want you getting sick.

>>> We’re down 2 out of 5.

Maybe this will be the worst of it? Eddie didn’t think they would be that lucky as Christopher was sick again and his parent skills kicked back in.

Buck

Despite keeping their distance, and the deep clean at the station and his own apartment, Buck was the next to succumb to the flu.

He was off for the day, having just finished getting ready for bed; Buck had facetimed with Chris and Eddie that evening, his favorite kid still pale and even Eddie looked rough. He certainly had the flu, not as bad as Christopher thankfully, but Eddie described it as, in his own words, like how roadkill must feel like.

His sleep wasn’t restful, tossing and turning, until his alarm went off. Groaning, Buck sat up to get ready, only to have his vision swim dangerously and he quickly fell back to the edge of his bed. The dizziness faded, which gave way to more aches, and a familiar feeling of his stomach turning. After some time in the bathroom, which left his leg throbbing having been in the same position on a tiled floor, Buck shuffled to fetch his phone. Perched on the bed, Buck hit Bobby’s contact number and waited for the ringing to stop.

“Buck?” Bobby’s voice came through. “Everything alright? You normally aren’t running late.” Buck spotted his clock, and sure enough, he was late; his shift started ten minutes ago.

“I got the flu.” Buck rasped out. “I’m sorry, Bobby.”

He didn’t dwell on the fact that he most likely would be confined to his loft. If he couldn’t make the short walk from his bed to the bathroom without getting winded, then tackling the stairs was out of the question.

“It’s not your fault, Buck, just take it easy, alright? I’ll try to stop by after my shift.” Bobby said in a steady voice.

Buck didn’t stay on the line after that, knowing Bobby would have to find another body to fill his role today, and the coming days, choosing instead to curl back up in bed. He quickly texted Eddie, who was still recovering, adjusting the brightness on his phone to sooth his eyes.

>>> 3 out of 5 now. Guess I didn’t dodge the stupid flu bug this year.

<<< Dammit.

Bobby

Waking up out of a dead sleep was never enjoyable.

Waking up out of dead sleep to sprint to the bathroom, nearly taking down everything on the counter and alerting your cop wife, was even worse.

Bobby didn’t think he had felt this sick in years. Athena helped him, soothing him through the worst of it, bringing order to mess he made in the bathroom, and sending May and Harry back to bed with instructions to not come into the bedroom.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Bobby panted as he closed his eyes. Athena nudged a paper cup of water into his hands.

“I don’t think the germs care.”

“Hen’s the only one left. And you’re probably going to get sick, too.” Bobby turned his head, peering up at his wife, before trying to sip the water. His stomach didn’t hate it, but Bobby didn’t push it, wanting to end the cycle of nausea.

“Hen’s a smart cookie and is most likely aware of that fact. Chimney is back at work, isn’t he, and Eddie is probably right behind him.” Athena said as she sat down against the sink cabinet. “Buck’s gonna be fine and so are you. Now, shush and drink your water. I am not suited for doing any of those IV things.” Cracking a smile, Bobby complied, knowing not to argue with Athena. Only to have that moment of relief stolen away as his head bent back down, expelling the water out, in addition to his thoughts of this going back to bed tonight.

Hen

Being the last one standing was not fun.

Hen knew her time was running out; all of her friends had it, both of her kids were in school, and Karen had complained about having the sniffles that other day. She had gone to the store the other day to gather plenty of orange juice and Sprite, soup and crackers, as well as flu medicine. She made it through her shift, feeling her body ache in the sickly way, and waved off to her teammates; Chimney was back to normal, Eddie came in but was taking a breather on the couch. Bobby and Buck were still down but should be back by the end of the week.

The house was quiet when she got home. With two young children, quiet was never a good sign, and Hen cautiously called out. Denny was on the couch, Nina alongside him, both watching one of those bright colored cartoons.

“Hey guys, where’s your momma at?” Hen asked, bending to kiss both of their heads, scanning the kitchen and living room.

“In the bedroom.” Nina chirped. “She said her tummy hurt.” Hen convinced the kids to stay on the couch, running to the kitchen to grab some supplies, and walked to the master bedroom. Karen was curled up, looking miserable, and Hen cooed in sympathy.

“Don’t kiss me, I don’t want to get you sick.” Karen groaned out as she accepted the drink and medicine Hen gave her.

“I’m going to get it regardless, babe. Also, we agreed to be together in sickness and in health.” Hen teased. “Looking at you, I’ve seen you looking better for sure.”

“I will sneeze on you, Henrietta, don’t think I won’t.” Laughing at her wife, all bedhead and red nose trying to sip her mug of Sprite, Hen pulled out her phone to let Chimney know she wouldn’t be in tomorrow. The kids would need her and Hen knew that the flu had finally found its way to her. Best to get it over with for the year.

Maybe next year the 118 wouldn’t be taken down by the flu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day who knows on lockdown: we have resorted to arguing about coffee mugs. Hope everyone else is doing well!


	19. Chapter 19

**63\. Genuine**

“Alright, superman, ready to go make some art?” Buck asked his passenger as he put the car in park. Christopher nodded in excitement from his spot in the backseat.

The boy couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for today, nearly wiggling out of his seat in his rush to get out of the car, and Buck had to admit that he was pumped for today as well. Eddie had told him that Christopher had been awake since 6 that morning eagerly waiting for Buck to come pick him up. It had been a long time since the two of them had a day together. Eddie was taking advantage of the free time, catching up on some random chores he needed to do, and Christopher had begged for a day out with Buck when he learned the other man was off from work. Christopher wanted to go to a pottery place for the afternoon and then spend time at Buck’s apartment with Argo which was something that Buck had no problem saying yes too.

“Have you got any idea what you want to paint?” Buck questioned as he held the door open for Christopher.

“Not yet.” Christopher was already scanning the walls that held some examples. “I’ll know wh-when I see it.”

The lady at the counter was nice enough, explaining the process, and Buck was soon being directed by Chris to the walls of pottery pieces in order to pick one out. They ended up with a sea turtle and a miniature version of Saturn. Christopher was going through a marine life phase and he insisted that Buck get the planet one since it matched his tattoo. They walked back to a side room, one that had benches and a shelf of paint; Buck carried their pieces to an empty spot before letting Christopher pull him by his hand over to the paints.

It was simple and fun to hang out with Christopher. As they painted, Buck took pictures as he could between decorating and Chris talking to him about school, his new classmate, and his excitement for summer break.

“We match.” Chris giggled as he held up his hands, covered in blue paint, and pointed to Buck’s which were spotted with grey and purple.

“You might look like a Smurf at the end of this.” Buck teased. Christopher grinned and quickly grabbed his hand, smearing blue paint onto his skin, and soon both of them dissolved into laughter. When they were done painting, the lady from the front put them in the kiln to bake and dry, and Buck helped Christopher over to the large sink in the corner.

“I can’t wait to show Daddy.” Christopher said as he tilted his head back to look up at Buck. “We should take a picture.”

“Sure, bud, we can do that when they’re done.” Buck promised.

They spent the rest of their time walking around the rest of the store, looking at other pottery and paintings, occasionally taking a selfie or two to send to Eddie. The lady offered to take their picture when their pottery pieces were done; Buck knew that this one might be his new favorite, Christopher holding his sea turtle proudly, beaming with pride. Christopher was getting tired towards the end and he was happy to be carried as Buck paid. Buck managed Chris in one arm, the other holding the paint pieces and the smaller boy’s crutches, with ease. It was nearing lunch time so the two stopped at their favorite place, a little deli shop, on the way back to Buck’s apartment. Christopher managed the stairs, insisting that Buck was going too slow, which only made Buck go even slower.

“Buck, come on!” Christopher urged. Buck made a dramatic show of lifting his legs up the stairs.

“I don’t know, Christopher, you might need to carry me up the rest of the way.” Buck said. “I think you can manage it, Superman, you’re super strong, right?”

“I know I’m strong, Buck.” Christopher confirmed. “You’re just getting old.” Buck’s mouth dropped open, causing Christopher to smirk and race up the rest of the way, laughing as he went.

Argo greeted them at the door, tail going a mile a minute, and dutifully followed Christopher to the couch. Buck put the pottery safely on the counter and set about getting their lunch ready. As they ate, they ended up watching another nature documentary, Christopher reciting facts and pointing out all the animals to Buck. He even had Buck pulling up other facts on his phone. When they were finished, Argo began to whine, and soon the three of them were going out for a walk. Argo trotted alongside Christopher, who loved the company, and asked if they could go to the dog park for a bit. Buck checked to make sure none of the more aggressive dogs were there, wanting to keep Chris and Argo safe, and when he saw it was clear he agreed. Chris got a kick out of throwing the frisbee, letting Buck show him how move his arms, and Argo burned off her energy. Win-win situation.

All three of them were ready for a break when they got back. Eddie had messaged, letting him know that he was going to be a little late getting back; Abuela had asked him to complete a few errands, and Buck quickly told him not to worry. Christopher didn’t mind, even typing out to Eddie that he could come back later, stating he was with his Buck and was having fun. Since Christopher was over often enough, Buck had some games and toys stored, which they both looked through.

Christopher wanted to build with the Legos, and they built several towers which suffered a short demise when Argo ran into them. Chris was delighted and soon they had a new game; Chris would build the tallest tower he could and Buck would send Argo over to knock it over. Christopher eventually wanted to play something else, so the two cleaned up, Buck knowing that they had missed a piece or two. He was resigned to the fact that he would be step on them at some point. The next couple of hours went by without a hitch: Christopher winning at Go Fish and Uno, helping the boy with transforming the living room into a mini obstacle course, and then heading into the kitchen for a snack.

“Can we make brownies?” Christopher asked, pointing to the box in the cabinet, and Buck shrugged. Chris had eaten his whole lunch, including the vegetables, and Buck normally didn’t bake unless he had someone to share the goodies with.

“Sure, let’s bake some brownies.” Christopher decided that he was the boss, directing Buck by reading the instructions and telling him what the do, having Buck help him sound out some of the larger words when necessary. The two took turns mixing the batter, Christopher giggling as he alternated helping by holding the bowl and using the spoon to get the batter into the baking pan. Shortly after Buck put the brownies in the oven, Christopher safely sitting in his chair like he always did when the stove was on, Eddie called, so Buck answered and put it on speaker.

“Hey, Eddie.” Buck greeted as he and Christopher collected the dirty dishes and placed them in the sink.

“Hey! Just finished up, you two at the apartment?”

“We’re making brownies!” Christopher exclaimed. “I told Buck what to do.”

“Oh? Were you in charge, Chris?” Eddie asked, Buck picturing him smirking as he spoke. “Well, do I get to have a brownie, Mr. Boss Man?”

“I don’t know.” Buck said, shooting Christopher a look that the little boy matched. “What do you think, Chris, should we let your dad have a brownie?”

“Only if he brings pizza.” Christopher offered. Eddie laughed, the sound making the phone crackle a little, and his best friend agreed. With the promise of pizza, Christopher helped Buck clean up a bit. He decided his new game was to hold onto Buck’s waist and on the top of his feet as Buck moved around; Buck didn’t mind, Chris didn’t weight much, and it made cleaning more enjoyable. Argo joined in, weaving between his legs, which almost sent them both toppling over.

Christopher was happy to cuddle on the couch after they finished in the kitchen and the brownies were done and cooling. They ended up watching videos on sea life, Christopher wanting to learn more on turtles, and Buck brought over their pieces from earlier that day. Christopher wanted to have them displayed on the coffee table, so Eddie would see them when he came in, and Buck let him unwrap the two pieces. Soon, the door was being opened, Eddie balancing the pizza box and murmuring a hello to Argo as she met him in the entryway.

“I come bearing gifts!” Eddie announced. “Wow, you two must have had fun.” The living room was still a bit of a mess, not that Buck minded, and Christopher launched into all the adventures they had that day. They broke into the pizza, Eddie listening and asking questions, and Christopher proudly showed off their pottery pieces.

“I did a sea turtle. And Bucky did one to match his tattoo.” Christopher explained. Eddie was impressed, which made Buck happy, knowing that Christopher had a good time and Eddie was pleased.

“We’ll have to find a good place to display it, mijo.” Eddie gently set the sea turtle back on the coffee table. Christopher shook his head.

“I wanna keep it here.” Christopher snuggled into Buck’s side and patted his arm. “You need more decorations, your place doesn’t have enough stuff, and then you’ll think of me when you look at it!” A simple art project shouldn’t make him that emotional, not that he would say no to Christopher, and from the soft look Eddie was sending them both, he understood.

“Sure, bubby, you can keep it here. I’d love having it. You can pick out a spot for it so I can show if off.” Buck told him.

They finished up with dinner quickly after that. There was just enough time for a movie before Eddie and Christopher needed to head home and the three of them, plus Argo, piled onto the sofa. Christopher was asleep halfway in.

“Thanks for watching him today.” Eddie said. Buck turned his head to look at his friend.

“It’s no problem. He’s a blast to hang out with, he makes it easy, plus it’s been too long since we had a day together.”

“He’s been excited for this all week.” Eddie brushed a hand through his son’s hair. The same hand that slowly came up to rest at the junction of Buck’s neck and shoulder. “To be honest, I was excited as well. I loved getting all the pictures from you.”

“Christopher wanted you to feel included.” Buck said, looking away, feeling a little shy.

“I appreciate it, Buck, I know you always take good care of Christopher.” Eddie smiled at Buck. “Chris knows it too; he was telling Carla that he was hanging out with you today when she was working yesterday.”

“Like I said, he’s a good kid, he makes it easy.”

“What would you say to the two of us having a day together?” Eddie blurted out. Buck blinked.

“Uh, like us hanging out?” Buck asked. Eddie was blushing as his hand gently rubbed Buck’s shoulder.

“I was thinking more as a date.” Eddie said. “I won’t lie, I was getting sort of jealous that Christopher was getting all the one on one time with you.” Buck couldn’t help laughing, relaxing into Eddie’s hand, feeling excited.

“If you’re asking me out for a date, you might have to bring you’re A-game, Diaz.” Buck warned. “I have it on pretty good authority that the little Diaz is a good event planner. I've gotten used to being blown away.” Eddie’s eyes gleamed, matching Buck’s smile, and he leaned in closer.

“I think I can convince him to help me plan something good.” Eddie said. Buck leaned in a bit, trying not to dislodge Christopher from his place at his side, and Eddie lightly pressed his lips to Buck’s cheek.

“I’ll hold you to it, Eddie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is doing alright! Leave a comment if you want :)


	20. Chapter 20

**100\. Mystery**

“I believe that it was Mr. Green, in the ballroom, with the candlestick!” Chimney cried.

Athena scoffed, immediately saying he was wrong, while Hen pulled the envelope over and started to lay the cards out on the table. First, Mr. Green, then the ballroom card, and finally, the murder weapon, the candlestick. Chimney jumped up from his chair, hands pumped in victory, while the rest of them groaned. Game night was done once a month, when possible, and Chimney often dominated them during some of the board games.

“How are you this good?” Eddie complained. “There is no way you can be so good at this!”

Chimney stopped his victory dance and instead moved to poke fun at Eddie. Everyone knew that Eddie was competitive, and didn’t like to lose, especially to Chimney who enjoyed it.

“Maybe I was destined for detective work.” Chimney mused. Athena was in the middle of taking a sip of her drink and snorted into her cup. “Oh, come on, Athena. Admit it, I would be a great partner.”

“No offense, boo, but I would not want you in the field.” Athena said bluntly. “Now, which game is next, because if we play Clue again Eddie might deck someone.” The for mentioned man blushed, which caused Buck to laugh, and Chimney moved to pat Eddie’s shoulder.

“It’s alright, Eddie, I’ll think of you fondly from the winner’s circle.” Chimney dodged the hand that shot out to pinch his side. “Hey, hey, watch the hands!” Hen and Maddie, watching from the sidelines, just shook their heads.

“Alright, children, let’s get moving. Eddie come help me bring in the next round of refills. Chimney, help clean up.” Bobby ordered.

Chimney began to moan, stating that winners don’t clean up, to which Buck said that he wasn’t a true winner, only lucky. That started off another argument. After playing through three rounds of Clue, the group was glad to move on from it. Pictionary was up next. Athena decided to be score keeper and had the pleasure of picking the other pairs; Buck and Maddie, Hen and Bobby, and Chimney and Eddie.

“It’s a bicycle!” Eddie shouted. Chimney scowled, pausing in his turn, before shaking his head and continuing.

“It’s not a bicycle.” A few more lines added to paper.

“It’s a pair of glasses on a face!” Eddie said. Chimney looked like he was about to throw the marker at him.

“No! Forget about anything with circles!”

“Then stop drawing circles!”

Needless to say, the pair didn’t win many points. Buck and Maddie were crushing everyone. Within one or two guesses, they figured it out. Chimney and Eddie were soon begging to swap partners, asking to compete as couples, and Hen said no gleefully. Buck leaned over to press a quick peck to Eddie’s cheek after a particularly brutal round.

“It’s alright that you can’t draw, I won’t judge you.” Buck soothed as Chimney groaned into his hands. “Although, it’s obvious now that you clearly gave all the drawing skills to Chris.”

“Don’t tell him, he won’t let me live this down. He got this game once for Christmas and I hid it to keep from playing.” Eddie begged. “I’ll take dish duty for a week if we join forces.” Buck considered it for a moment before shaking his head.

“I love you, babe, but I am not going down with you. Maddie and I have this in the bag and I want to win one game tonight.”

The sibling pair did win. By a large lead. Bobby and Hen come in second. Chimney and Eddie didn’t want to talk about coming in last place. They took a break to get some snacks, stretch their legs, and check their phones. The younger kids, Denny, Nina, Christopher, and Harry wanted to have a sleepover with Karen and May supervising.

Uno was next and it went about as well as you could guess. Eddie and Chimney were seated next to one another. Hen and Buck couldn’t keep straight faces as they played, often playing cards to mess up their friends, acting all innocent when Bobby tried to get some order back.

“Don’t do it.” Chimney warned.

“Do what?” Eddie asked. “This?” And with a flick of his hand, he laid down his card, a plus 4. Chimney narrowed his eyes.

“That’s it! I’m taking your boyfriend as hostage.” Chimney cried as he grabbed his cards. Buck blinked.

“Why am I being taken hostage? I didn’t even play that card!”

“You are dating the enemy!”

“Maddie skipped me five times this round! You don’t see me taking it out on her!”

“You can’t do anything since you’re skipped.” Athena cut in, watching as Maddie played her next card. “Again.”

“Maddie!” Buck huffed, looking at his full hand and compared it to the rest of the table. Hen and Bobby were quiet, likely due to their less than four card lead, and both casually looked away from him. Bobby won that game. Since it was still early, and Hen was clearly in the mood to see a good old-fashioned fit from one of them, she suggested Monopoly.

“I see what you’re thinking.” Athena warned. Maddie held a hand up to her chest.

“And what I am thinking?”

“You better not put that hotel up.”

“Athena, I don’t have any other options. These are the only places I can put up hotels!” Four turns later, and Buck and Eddie were involved in negations.

“I am not mortgaging the red ones.” Buck’s voice was firm. On the other side of the table, Eddie narrowed his eyes and pointed to where Buck’s token had landed.

“You landed on Park Place. You have less than fifty dollars in your hands. You have to mortgage something.”

“Sounds like something that someone who wants to win would say.”

“Coming from someone who hasn’t won anything all night, yes, I am saying this.” Eddie argued back. “Now mortgage the card.”

“No.”

“Buck, the payment isn’t going away.”

“It’s my card, I’ll make the decision.”

“You landed on my spot.”

“Yes. Your spot and my money.” Buck waved a twenty-dollar bill in Eddie’s face. “We don’t have a joint account; you can’t tell me what to do.”

“Pay the bill or I’m leaving you alone to watch the Minions movie with Christopher. Alone.” Eddie said. Hen whistled lowly. Buck held his gaze.

“I pay you half now and the other half next turn when Chimney lands on my space.” Buck offered. “And, I won’t pick up a Tuesday shift and leave you by yourself for the PTA meeting. With all the soccer moms. Alone.”

“Oh, boy.” Maddie whispered and Athena nodded beside her. “That’s playing dirty.”

Eddie gave in after a moment. Buck grinned, pleased, and then turned to Chimney.

“I look forward to your payment in the next turn.”

“You wish.” Chimney huffed.

One roll of the dice, and six spaces later, Chimney was handing over a small stack of play money to Buck’s hand.

“I hate you.”

“Well, I love you, too, Chim.” Buck said cheerfully. Chimney stuck his tongue out.

“You jinxed me.” Chimney whined. “Completely jinxed me. How do you do that?” Chimney, Hen, and Athena were out shortly after that. Bobby tried to hold on, but landed on three hotels back to back. Maddie and Buck went at it, trading landing on one another’s properties, before Buck went bankrupt. Eddie and Maddie battled for first, Eddie trying to win, instead losing when he landed on Maddie’s most expensive hotel.

“I won!” Maddie cheered. Eddie sighed, slumped against his seat, and shoved all of his play money across the board to his boyfriend’s sister.

“Next time we do pairs.” He spun his eyes around to lock eyes with Buck. “We get joint accounts and I am taking full advantage of your Pictionary skills.”

Bobby couldn’t stop laughing at the pair, especially when Chimney readily agreed with Eddie’s plan. One thing was for sure, game night was never boring or short of laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is doing well! Leave a comment if you wish :)


	21. Chapter 21

**.03 Bathroom**

Maddie had hoped that she could avoid this part of the pregnancy. Crossed her fingers, looked up every possible remedy (which was approved for safety by her husband, brother, and certified doctors), and tried to remember anything her own mother had said about her past pregnancies. No such luck.

Morning sickness, which struck at all hours of the day, descended on her four days into her third month. There didn’t seem to be any pattern to it. She didn’t have any food aversions, wasn’t triggered by smells, and stress might have been a factor, until it kept happening even on her days off. She ended up texting Athena, who suggested banana’s and saltine crackers, and that peppermint and ginger candies could work in a pinch.

Chimney, after hearing what might help his wife, ended up going to three different stores, buying enough crackers to last them through a natural disaster, as well as two bags each of the hard candies. At a loss, she ended up texting Buck, figuring he might have stumbled on something during one of his researching binges, but he replied that he hadn’t.

Month four had her thinking that it might be winding down, which would be a blessing; her knees hurt and she was beginning to grow tired of the inside of her bathroom. Chimney was trying his best to be there for her. He went out and got a softer bath mat for her, placed a little basket filled with anything she might need, such as water, mouthwash, even a sleeve of crackers. However, due to his schedule, and her own, the two weren’t often together when the nausea hit.

Chimney was trying to save up as much time as possible before the baby was born and Maddie had been assured that she could work through to her due date, barring any serious medical complications. Josh had been supportive, often fetching her stuff when she couldn’t step away from her phone, and changing spots with Diana who had her station next to her. The woman had pitched a fit the first time she was sick at her desk, complaining enough that Susan asked the other woman to come to her office, and Josh easily moved their stuff around. No one was brave enough to mess with Josh and no one commented on the situation after that.

“Come on, kid, let me just have one day without ending up here.” Maddie pleaded down to her stomach.

It was her day off, she had plans, and instead she was running late. Grabbing her cell phone, which never left her side anymore, she quickly messaged Eddie and Buck that she would be late for their lunch date. Eddie quickly messaged back, telling her not to worry, and if she wanted, they could get their usual’s and bring it back to the apartment. Judging from the way her stomach was rolling, and the current time, Maddie agreed. She got up, brushing her teeth, and walked out into the living room. Chimney had texted her, interspersed with little gifs that must relate to work, and Maddie typed out a response.

Her husband had gotten more protective since finding out she was pregnant; Maddie enjoyed it, finding the fact that her husband, who wasn’t much taller than herself, was ready to fight anything that came their way.

“Look, kid, we need to come to a deal. I am not doing this for the next five months.” Maddie rubbed her stomach, which had just started to swell, and settled in to wait for her brother and Eddie.

Lunch was a fun affair. Christopher was at school, which meant that didn’t have more than a couple of hours together, but Maddie enjoyed their time together all the same. Eddie was telling her about one of their crazier work stories from the last week, one that had her laughing hard enough that her lemonade almost spilled. Eddie ordered her to relax, taking care of the mess and dishes on his own, and Maddie stole Buck away long enough to go to the bedroom and get her sweater and shoes.

The three went on a short walk, talking about nothing in particular, enjoying one another’s company. It had been a little while since she was able to see her brother; Buck’s shifts had been opposite Eddie’s for the past two weeks, something the other man wasn’t happy about, and Eddie had been balancing Christopher and work since Carla was away for the week.

“I still think it’s gonna be a girl.” Buck said. He had been insisting that the baby would be a girl. The whole family seemed to be split on the gender. Maddie, Buck, Bobby, Hen, Karen, and Carla were team girl. Chimney, Athena, and Eddie were team boy.

“Nope, definitely a boy. Sorry, Maddie, but I think Chimney’s right on this.” Eddie paused. “Don’t tell him I said that, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“No promises, Eddie.” Maddie chuckled. “I just want a healthy kid.”

The two men left a little after that. Eddie had a shift that evening and they still had to collect Christopher from school. Maddie did some household chores, tackling the laundry room, and then looking through their fridge and cabinets for ideas for dinner. Chimney came home a little before five o’clock, eyes scanning for her and lighting up when he spotted her on the couch.

“Hey, there you are!” Chimney greeted her with a kiss, Maddie relaxing into it, and then sent him off to get changed.

“How was work?” Maddie asked as the two got resettled on the couch. Chimney shrugged.

“It was alright. Eddie’s gonna have a blast tonight; we got a new probie, not the smartest bulb, but it’s going to be a fun few month.”

“That bad?” She knew that some of the new recruits didn’t work out, especially the one from last summer, but everyone tried to keep an open mind since learning the ropes was hard work.

“He’s reckless, not as bad as Buck was when he started, but almost. I thought Bobby was gonna lose his temper today.” Chimney pulled her closer. “I know you love your brother, but I really hope this kid grows out of pulling dumb stunts. We can only have one dare devil on each team, it’s a rule.”

“I can try, Chim, but I don’t think it’ll work.” Maddie teased.

They ended up making chicken and rice, keeping the conversation flowing, and then settled in for a movie marathon. Chimney wasn’t giving up on showing her, in his opinion, all the classic movies she had missed out on. They were halfway through Jurassic Park, Chimney pointing out little details and facts as the film went on, before Maddie was up and bolting back to the bathroom. She wasn’t alone for long, Chimney soon against her side, and Maddie tried not to let a few frustrated tears slip out.

“God, this sucks.” Maddie complained. Chimney brushed her hair back, frowning, and shifted back so Maddie could straighten up out of her hunched position.

“Maybe we should go back to the doctor. I don’t want you to be miserable like this anymore.”

“It isn’t that bad, just annoying. I want to keep doing things with everyone, and it’s not really polite to keep excusing yourself to go throw up every few hours.” Maddie sniffed, accepting the water Chimney handed her, and leaned into her husband.

“I still want to call the OB tomorrow.” Chimney’s voice was firm. “Maybe she could give you something for the nausea.” Maddie didn’t bother trying to say no; Chimney was constantly walking the fine line between paramedic and husband and first-time father. Maddie knew when to pick her battles.

“Okay, I’ll call the office tomorrow morning.” Chimney opened his mouth and Maddie hurried to finish. “I’ll tell you what they say when I’m done, alright. You have a shift, Chim, so I’ll text you.”

“I’m sorry if I’m being a little overbearing.” Chimney said, pressing a kiss to her hair. “I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“Hey, I’m okay, not like I haven’t experienced vomiting before. Certainly not this often.” Maddie tried to lighten the mood. “Babe, it’s normal for pregnant women to have morning sickness. Some sadly get it throughout the pregnancy, I was hoping to not be one of those, that’s all.” She grabbed his hand from where it was on her hip and moved it to her stomach. “I know we can’t feel anything yet, but our baby is fine in there. Just causing a little trouble for us at the moment.” Maddie soothed. Chimney kissed her again, on the lips uncaring of Maddie’s complaints about her bad breath, and rubbed her stomach.

“Already a troublemaker and they aren’t even here yet.” Chimney tried to complain but there was a touch of wonder in his voice.

“Sorry, it’s a Buckley trait.” Maddie said as Chimney rolled his eyes.

“How are you feeling?” Chimney asked. Maddie thought for a moment. Her stomach wasn’t rolling anymore and she was actually feeling a little hungry.

“Good for now. Let’s go back to the movie.” Chimney helped her off the floor, going back to the couch, and pouted when she took a detour to the kitchen. The frown quickly morphed into a smile when she held out the popcorn bag to him.

The morning sickness would fade by the end of the month. Chimney was relieved, and he said as much at the next OB appointment, which had the OB chuckling about worried dads-to-be. She never got around the asking her mom if the morning sickness was common for their family. The ginger and peppermint candies ended up being something she craved, which meant they weren’t put to waste, and Maddie began to think they could handle this. If morning sickness was all they had to overcome with this pregnancy, then they totally could handle this.

After all, they were having a healthy baby, Maddie was sure that it was smooth sailing from here on out.


	22. Chapter 22

**.62 Dedicate**

“Are you sure it isn’t going to hurt?” Christopher asked again as the three of them got ready to leave the apartment. Buck paused from tying his own shoes and looked up to see Christopher’s concerned face. Buck came over so that he was sitting on the indoor bench they put in the hallway next to their son.

“Uncle Chimney says that there are needles and needles hurt.”

“Well, it might hurt a little at first. Most tattoos do, Chris, and I’ve gotten plenty of them before.” Buck didn’t want to scare Christopher, especially since he was so excited, but if he was getting worked up Buck had no problem postponing the idea until later on. “Buddy, if you want, we don’t have to go today. I don’t want you to be worried about this.”

“Daddy says you don’t like needles after being in the hospital so many times. I don’t want you to be scared.” Christopher admitted, looking at his feet, and Buck exchanged a look with Eddie. Moving to sit on his son’s side, Eddie brought a hand to gently cup the back of Christopher’s head, and waited until the boy looked up.

“Christopher, the needles used in the hospital are different than the ones that people use in the tattoo parlor. These ones are tiny and they move so fast that they won’t hurt Buck that much.” Eddie began. “Plus, Buck and I both got tattoo’s before, so we know what to expect.”

The trio sat together, letting Christopher collect his thoughts, already preparing to cancel the appointment and find an alternative. When Christopher first suggested it, Buck had been surprised, as was Eddie. The two knew that their son loved to see and trace the tattoos on both men; it was his favorite way to fall asleep, curled up on their chest or side, fingers gliding over skin. After they got married, Christopher had become more interested in the tattoos, occasionally taking a marker and drawing on Buck’s skin. Then, a month ago, he had given Buck a piece of paper. On it were some drawings, in addition a label to go with each one. Buck asked more about it, as he always did, and Eddie shamelessly listened it.

“You can pick one out for a tattoo! That way you can look at it and think of me.”

Well, Buck had never been good at denying Chris anything. And since the adoption was finalized, Buck couldn’t say no to his kid.

They talked some more about it over the next few days; getting a tattoo was a serious decision and none of Buck’s tattoos had been a split-second one. Plus, it was Christopher, he wanted to do right by the little boy. Now, here they were, almost a month later on the day of the tattoo appointment. Buck was going to get it done by one of the previous tattoo artists that he had seen in the past, liking his work, and knowing that it would come out looking great.

“It’ll only hurt a little bit?” Christopher peered up to look at Buck and the man nodded.

“Only a little. At worst, it might hurt like a sunburn, Chris.” Buck tapped his knee until Christopher met his eyes. “Do you want to know what’s going to help even if it does start to hurt?” Christopher shook his head. “I’ve got you, Superman, don’t you know that I always feel better when I see you?”

“Do my hugs help? You and Daddy always smile more when I give you a hug.” Christopher asked seriously.

“They sure do, you’ve got magic hugs, Christopher.” Buck agreed. “Now, I want you to know that no one is going to be mad or disappointed if you don’t want to go.” Christopher thought about for it minute before giving Buck a smile.

“I wanna go.”

The tattoo parlor was nice, plenty of open space, but the best thing that had Buck returning as a customer was the staff. Most of them had kids of their own and didn’t blink an eye when Christopher came in with them. The tattoo artist, Marcus, talked to him for a bit; confirming the location, size, design, and color of the tattoo. Buck had decided to get it on the inside of his forearm, so that he could look at it during work, and Christopher requested it to be in green, since it was in favorite color.

Eddie sat with Chris in his lap, the little boy watching everything with a sharp eye, trying to get as close as possible to Buck as he sat in his own chair.

“I heard that you’re the artist that picked this out.” Marcus chatted to Chris as he got set up, wiping Buck’s arm down and getting the tattoo gun ready. “Gotta say, little dude, you did a good job.”

“It’s for my Buck and he likes all my drawings.” Christopher said with pride, Eddie snickering behind his head. “I told him that he should have one with him all the time. Daddy is gonna get one in the future, not now, because Abuela would yell at him for getting another one without telling her.”

“Well, we don’t argue with Abuela, do we?” Eddie joked. Christopher shook his head.

“Nope! But she won’t yell at Buck since she likes him and says that he keeps Daddy in line.” Christopher continued to talk during the process, telling Marcus about all the other ideas that didn’t get picked, and Marcus just rolled with it. Buck didn’t even have time to flinch or grimace at the familiar pain of the tattoo gun. Before long, the first part was done and Marcus was switching the ink out from black to green.

“How’s it look, Chris?” Buck asked, letting Chris take his hand, giving him a smile.

“Good.” Christopher grinned. “Do you need a hug yet?”

“Not yet. We can hold hands, if you want, alright Christopher?” Buck reassured him and Christopher leaned back into Eddie’s chest, grasping Buck’s hand with both of his own. “What are you thinking of for your dad?”

That got them through the rest of the session. By that point, his arm was beginning to ache, and it was a little red. Marcus finished up, going over the familiar care steps, and Eddie started to get Christopher situated on the ground again.

“Alright, what do we think, Mr. Artist?” Marcus addressed Christopher. Buck held his arm out, telling Christopher that he could look at it closer if he wanted, and he and Eddie traded smiles when Christopher lit up.

Chris had wanted something that meant something to both of them. Legos were still a big interest for the kid, and an activity that he often included both his parents in, and he and Buck bonded a lot through it. Christopher had designed a three-leaf clover, to give Buck some extra luck, with one leaf for each of them and Lego bricks forming the shape of the plant. On two of the leaves were Eddie and Christopher’s initials. Finally, the bricks were shaded with different greens.

“It’s awesome!” Christopher beamed. “Now you can have a drawing with you all the time.”

Buck paid at the counter, still teasing Eddie that he would need to get approved by his grandmother in the future, Christopher’s gaze never leaving his arm for long. Buck was feeling all sorts of gooey feelings that he often associated with his Diaz boys, already excited to show it off to everyone.

At home, they went through their normal weekend routine, until they hit bedtime. As Buck went to get ready, Christopher followed him, standing in the doorway of the bedroom as Buck searched for a pair of sweats.

“Do you need something, Chris?”

“You need to take care of your arm.” Christopher pointed out. He held out the little bag that Marcus had given him. “I wanna help.”

The pair ended up in the master bathroom, Christopher sitting on the toilet seat, reading the instructions aloud. Buck went through the steps, familiar with what he needed to do over the next two weeks, letting Chris take the lead.

“Alright, we are all set!” Buck helped clean up the minimal mess and put the instructions away so they wouldn’t get damaged.

“Now, you have to get a magic hug. So, it won’t hurt during the night.” Christopher stated.

Buck picked him up, Christopher wrapping his arms around his neck, and the two stayed like that for a moment.

“Is it working?”

“I feel so much better, buddy, your hugs are working really well tonight.” Buck answered.

When they finished, and Buck went to move so that Christopher could leave the bathroom, he spotted Eddie standing against the door putting his phone away in the pocket.

“What are you up to?” Buck asked as he came over, tilting his head down so that Eddie could peck his lips.

“Who says I’m up to something?”

“I can tell. That’s the look of someone causing trouble, I would know, I used that look for years.” Buck teased.

“You two disappeared and I was curious.” Eddie confessed. “It was too cute to not watch and record.” Buck groaned, mentally preparing for the teasing that would follow, but Eddie kissed him again before grabbing his hand. “I won’t send the video. I want it for myself, just my two boys, keep it for when I need something happy.” Eddie said.

He pulled Buck’s arm out enough that he could see the new tattoo.

“He is so proud of it.”

“He should be.” Buck said softly. “Every time he does something that makes me smile, I think, he won’t be able to top it. But he always does.”

“I think he wanted you to have a little something from him.” Eddie stepped back to let Buck back into the bedroom and start to change. “I was sworn to secrecy, but he actually told me about this a couple of weeks before he asked you. He wanted to make sure he got it perfect.”

“Stop it, our kid is going to make me cry.” Buck replied with a thick voice. Eddie stepped closer, thumb swiping across the covering on the tattoo, eyes wet. "I might have to call Christopher back in here for another round of hugs."

“Well, then I’m glad that we’ve got an amazing kid that has the best magic hugs in town.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My state, as well as the one where I travel frequently to, renewed the quarantine to another 2 weeks. Safety over everything, but I am so ready to return to my normal routine. Hope everyone is doing well, staying safe, and taking it day by day. Leave a comment if you want :)


	23. Chapter 23

**51 Partnership**

The day of the wedding, Eddie was up and standing in the kitchen by six, sipping a cup of coffee and listening for signs of life from Christopher’s room. The ceremony wasn’t up eleven o’clock, it was still too early to get ready, and Eddie had nothing left to do to but kill some time. The apartment was spotless, his and Christopher’s clothing was hanging up ready to go, in addition to Christopher’s weekend bag for after the reception. Eddie and Buck would be going away for three days, neither of them wanting to go for a longer honeymoon; they wanted Christopher to come along, and seeing how school was still in session, any longer vacations would need to wait till the summer.

Buck was currently over at Maddie and Chimney’s place. Chimney, who seemed to take over the event planning in a frightening fashion, insisted that the two men spend the night apart and not see each other until the ceremony. “It’s bad luck. Buck has enough of that as it is, we need all the help we can get, so no secret meet-ups until it’s time, got it?” Chimney had been serious, finger pointing at the two of them as they stood in the station garage, and hadn’t relented until they agreed.

So, Buck was across town, Eddie was here, and there was still four hours and nineteen minutes until he got to see his fiancé again. He couldn’t help but smile into his coffee mug; the past year had been great, even the more annoying days of planning, and Eddie was glad that they decided to go through it. At first, they didn’t want to make it a big deal. When the rest of their friends found that out, mainly Athena and Chimney, they knew that they needed to have a ceremony or they might face a mutiny.

The ceremony was going to be kept to their friends and Eddie’s family. Christopher was excited, thrilled to see his cousins, and Eddie’s extended family was happy to see them again. He heard Christopher’s door open and he called out so that his son knew where he was. Christopher walked into the kitchen, stopping to rub his eyes, and Eddie was struck with the image of Chris looking all of six years old, not the eleven he actually was.

“Morning, mijo.” Eddie greeted, setting his cup down on the counter, and opened his arms at the same time Chris moved in for a hug. “Are you ready for breakfast?”

“Can we have pancakes? Please?” Chris yawned as he got into the island chair. Eddie got the ingredients together; they might not be as good as Buck’s, but it would be a decent breakfast that would see them through the afternoon. “Is Buck awake?”

“I think so, you want to give him a call?” Eddie was already pulling his phone out and sliding it across to Chris. “Remember, we don’t tell Chimney.” Christopher laughed, made the locking motion on his lips, and pressed Buck’s contact number. It didn’t even finish ringing before the call connected.

“Good morning!” Buck chirped.

“Morning, Buck!” Christopher said. “Dad’s making pancakes for us.”

“That’s great, bud, Chimney is making something in the kitchen, Maddie is too scared to go investigate at the moment.” Buck was always more of a morning person then he was, able to jump into conversations with ease, and Eddie missed having him with them at home. Even if it was only for a few more hours.

“Good morning, amor, did you sleep well?” Eddie asked, beginning to pour the batter onto the skillet.

“Well enough. I forgot how weird it was to sleep without you.”

“Dad was up during the night. He said it was too quiet at home.” Christopher mentioned. “He’s wearing your sweatshirt, Buck.” Eddie rolled his eyes, knowing that Christopher loved to tease him, and easily told Buck that their son was wearing one of Buck’s old shirts as well.

“I think I woke up during the night to check on Chris and it didn’t hit me till I was in the hall that I wasn’t home.” Buck said. “No nightmares though!”

“Only a few more hours.” Eddie replied, grinning, wishing that time would go quicker. “You’ve got everything, right? If not, I can drop it off.” Buck’s laughter over the phone made something within him relax.

“No, I’ve got everything. Not sure I would make it out of the house, anyway, with the way Chimney is managing things.” Buck told him. “Only a little longer, babe, then you and Christopher are stuck with me.”

“Good!” Christopher cheered. They ended the call shortly after that, speaking endearments into the receiver, before Eddie focused on his breakfast. Soon, it was time for them to get ready. Showers were taken, Eddie cleaned up his face, and helped Christopher with his hair. A knock on his door signaled the arrival of their guests and Eddie opened the door to a grinning Abela and Peppa.

His grandmother and aunt helped with the suits, taking plenty of pictures, and then they were out the door. The venue was quaint, on the outskirts of town, and Eddie knew when they toured it that this was where he wanted them to get married. There was almost a woodland feel to it, far from the noise of the city, and the manager told them it gave good views of the sunset. Eddie hadn’t actually seen the inside of the venue yet; he and Buck had been told that it was being decorated by the rest of the team and they would see it when they first walked in.

The guests started walking in, everyone talking, hugs being shared, with endless smiles and laughs it seemed. He spotted Maddie’s car, eyes roaming to find Buck, before a hand was pulling him behind one of the buildings.

“There you are.” Buck whispered and Eddie crashed their lips together. Buck looked good; a nice, grey suit, making his eyes pop, and Eddie couldn’t stop looking at him. “You look amazing.”

“Not as good as you.” Eddie argued. They kissed a bit more, not exchanging words, before the sounds of those around them became too much to ignore.

“We should go inside.”

“Just a few more minutes. I want to keep you to myself a little longer.” Buck pressed a kiss to his check and Eddie mirrored him.

“We get the rest of our lives to keep each other.” Eddie said softly. Buck laughed.

“I know that. I meant before we get swarmed with everyone hugging us and all the other normal stuff people do at weddings.” Buck tangled their hands together, their matching engagement bands glinting in the light, and Eddie couldn’t wait to see how they looked with the wedding bands.

“We’ve managed worse before; remember Maddie and Chim’s wedding? Or my cousin’s?” They both fake shuddered at that. It had been one of the first big affairs that Eddie brought Buck along for, not that his family made Buck feel unwelcome, but it had been the wedding where anything that could go wrong did go wrong. “I just want to marry you and call you mine.”

To be honest, Eddie couldn’t remember the whole ceremony in detail but he did catalog certain moments. The way his hands felt holding Buck’s. The way neither of them could stop smiling at each other, saying their vows, Eddie’s heart pounding in wonder that he got to marry this person in front of him. Christopher gave them their rings, face splitting into the world’s biggest smile. Eddie grinned when he saw his Abuela wiping away tears, as was Bobby and Maddie, and the loud of everyone cheering when they kissed made the world around them blur for a second.

They took endless pictures, Karen and Hen commanding the masses with a critical eye. When they had their fill, Eddie got to have Buck alone for a moment as everyone went into the hall. They didn’t need to talk, words had never been an issue, and they were good at reading what wasn’t said between them. When they got to step into the hall both of them were blown away by the decorations.

Soft lights lined the walls and tables. Someone had made little firefighter ornaments, a wedding favor for the guests, and the cake was sitting off to the side. But the best part were the hanging pictures. Some Eddie knew came from his phone, some from Buck’s and others he hadn’t seen before. Pictures of them in other houses, in the station, out in the city. The photos spanned their entire relationship up until this point.

They talked with everyone, eating and drinking when they could, dancing with more people then Eddie would have thought possible. They endured the embarrassing speeches, detailing the early days of their friendship and relationship, and Buck got Eddie good when it was time to cut the cake, getting frosting in his face before Eddie grabbed him for a sweet kiss. The day moved into the evening; everyone was having a good time, mingling, sharing stories, making the room come to life. Eddie talked to him family, never having to look long or far for his husband (husband!). Buck caught up with Eddie’s family, danced with Christopher, and kept shooting Eddie looks full of love. Eddie matched those looks, couldn’t stop looking at their hands where the new gold bands rested, wanting to remember these moments. The reception began to wind down. Guests trickled out, back home or to their hotels. Eddie was treated to tight hugs from their team; Bobby held Buck tight and Hen and Chimney double teamed him.

“No turning back now, fellas!” Hen teased.

They got Christopher settled with Abuela, who would be watching him for tonight and tomorrow before Carla picked him up.

“We’ll call you in the morning.” Eddie said, pressing a kiss into Christopher’s hair, his son resting easily in Buck’s arms. “Be good and don’t cause too much trouble.”

“Don’t forget to send pictures.” Christopher reminded him, hugging them both tight, and waving to them from the car.

“We’re married.” Buck said, voice in awe, as they gathered their belongs and went to Eddie’s car. Their bags for the weekend were already in the backseat.

“We’re married.” Eddie repeated, moving in to kiss Buck, letting it get a little more heated since no one was there to stop them. “Now, are you ready for a mini honeymoon, Mr. Diaz?”

“Let’s go, Mr. Diaz.” Buck’s eyes were bright and they kissed again, Eddie beaming in delight.

They held hands throughout the drive, and Buck insisted on carrying Eddie inside the little air BnB they rented, Eddie using that as the time to let his hands roam. After all, he got to marry his best friend.

Forever wasn’t long enough, but it was a good start, and Eddie didn’t want to waste a second of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you want :)


	24. Chapter 24

**26\. Discrimination**

Buck ducked into the supply closet, taking a deep breath, and wondered if he could get away with punch the guy before anyone caught him.

Normally, Buck didn’t feel violent on calls or at work. He was able to keep a clear head, even if he was impulsive, and he generally got along with everyone. Not this person. Rory was a fill-in for their station for the next few weeks. At first, the guy seemed alright. Quiet, which might have been due to not knowing anymore, and Buck tried his best to make Rory feel comfortable in the firehouse. Then, he stared to notice things. How he would never go out of his way to talk with Chimney or Hen directly, always going over to Bobby and occasionally Buck. Eddie got some dirty looks, which puzzled him, as Eddie hadn’t done anything to the guy. Buck kept an eye on it, slowly and casually reminding Rory that he could ask other people on the team, even saying that he wasn’t the most knowledgeable person on team at one point in an effort to get Rory to communicate better.

“They don’t know what they are talking about.” Rory said, lacing up his boots, and Buck frowned. “Probably skated through the academy, you know how it goes.” His voice was laid back, as if they were talking about the weather, and Buck paused as finished putting on his shirt.

“No, I don’t. Chimney and Hen have three to five years on me, not even counting the paramedic stuff, and they are both hard workers.” Buck stated. “Besides, no one skates through the academy, everyone knows that.”

“Well, they have to keep spots open, you know? Diversity and all that.” Rory scoffed. Buck’s mouth dropped open, brain finally connecting the dots, and he could feel his heart rate increasing. “You and I work hard, why should they get an easier time, but that’s not my decision.”

“Chimney and Hen are hard workers.” Buck repeated, voice going cold now, and he had to remind himself to calm down. “Since you seem to be fixated on working hard, you can start on inventory.” Buck slammed his locker door and walked to the kitchen while grinding his teeth together.

“Rough morning?” Hen asked when she saw his face as he came into view. Buck wanted to scream; Rory was an idiot to think that Hen and Chimney had no right to be here. “Buck?”

“Sure, everything’s fine.” Buck answered, getting a mug out and making his coffee. Hen moved closer, inching the sugar towards him, and leaned against the counter.

“Doesn’t seem like it.” Hen commented. She moved her eyes up and down and Buck did his best to not squirm under her gaze. “You look pissed, Buck, what happened?”

“Rory has some…unflattering opinions of how things should be run at the station.” Buck eventually said. He took a sip of his coffee to stall for time, burning his tongue in the process, and turned to face Hen. “I figured walking away was better than taking a swing at him.”

Hen didn’t say anything, staring at him, before moving to make her own mug of caffeine. Buck didn’t rush her, figuring he was trapped until the conversation was finished, and by the time Hen was done he felt more under control. Buck didn’t like it when people messed with his friends. Having limited family will do that to you, make you want to protect those around you, and Buck had always been fierce in defending those he cared about. Hen deserved nothing less than that.

“It isn’t the first time someone had made it a point to let me know that I don’t belong here, Buck. It happens and it will continue to happen.” She knocked her foot with her own. “It sucks, I’ll give you that, but don’t go starting fist fights on my behalf, okay? You made it clear that you don’t agree with him and that’s a good thing.”

“It isn’t enough. He shouldn’t even be talking like that here.” Buck hissed. “You and Chimney are some of the best firefighters here. It pisses me off that he thinks he can come work here and disrespect you.”

“I know, believe me Buck, I do. Let’s keep an eye on it for now and if continues to be a problem, we’ll go to Bobby.” Buck didn’t like it, thought it was a weak solution, but he agreed.

It didn’t get better.

Rory continued to insult and ignore Hen and Chimney, which left them in some tight spots while out in the field, and that was a giant mistake. You never put your teammates at risk in the field. Ever. The rides in the truck got tenser and quieter. Buck was beginning to think his teeth might suffer from how hard he was grinding them; Eddie almost bit through his lip once in an effort to not lash out, choosing to mutter in Spanish, Buck half-heartedly following along.

“Rory, my office, now.” Bobby ordered, stopping long enough to take off his turnout coat and drape it over one of the truck seats. “That’s an order, firefighter Smith.”

Rory was glazing daggers at Bobby’s back as he followed the Captain and Buck didn’t feel sorry for him. Today could have ended badly; by disregarding Hen's instructions, Chimney was left to handle two victims on his own while combatting the house fire around them on the second floor. Eddie grabbed the discarded coat, placing it on Bobby’s designated hook, and the two got undressed in stony silence.

“He’s a piece of shit.” Eddie started. Buck, in the process of getting his own coat off, didn’t interrupt him. “I’m not sure what bullshit he sold to get hired here, but I’m not buying it, and I know Bobby won’t either.”

“We have another week with him.” Buck wanted it to be over. Wanted the guy to be far away from his team. On the other hand, Buck didn’t want him to be around any other team; Rory almost caused Chimney to get hurt and Buck didn’t know how many times something similar had happened in the past. “Bobby might just let him go. We’ll be short staffed, but we can manage it.”

“We have in the past.” Eddie’s voice was flat and Buck moved to sit next to him. They knocked knees, the closest they could allow themselves to PDA in the station right now, and didn’t move. Chimney and Hen came in a short time later; Hen had given their friend the all clear, only bruising, and that had them relax a little bit.

“Bobby’s pretty pissed.” Chimney said, taking the empty spot Eddie gave him, and Hen started the process of getting herself in order. “His door is shut.” Buck winced; it was one of those unspoken rules at the firehouse: open doors meant mostly good things and closed doors meant you screwed up.

“I can see why you wanted to punch him a few days ago.” Hen said. Buck shrugged.

“I don’t think it would have helped. Especially since he’s decided that Eddie and I are sinning together. Bobby is the only one with a chance in hell of getting a response.” Buck muttered.

Rory had seen Eddie pressed a kiss to his cheek one morning, as Buck was being dropped off for a shift, and had proceeded to tell him it was unnatural and wrong for them to be together. They made their way to the loft, keeping their voices down in the hopes of hearing something from Bobby’s office, only to be disappointed. The door stayed shut and no noise came out. They started making a light meal, leaving an extra plate for Bobby; Eddie was being petty and didn’t set one aside for Rory.

The office door opened with a bang, which made them all jump, and they witnessed Rory storm out of the office with a furious glare on his face.

“Good luck trying to manage a team, Captain Nash. You’ll need it!” Rory shouted, walking into the locker room to get his stuff, before walking out and flipping everyone off. Bobby came over, face impassive, and accepted the plate that Buck nudged his way.

“So, wanna tell us what happened?” Chimney finally asked, popping a cherry tomato into his mouth, and Bobby sighed.

“I told Rory that the way he has been acting and interacting with you all isn’t how I expect firefighter to act in my house. I told him that if he didn’t apologize, sincerely, and change his attitude, then we don’t have any further need for him here. That we can find another individual who will take the opportunity and make the most of it.” Bobby said. “As you could tell, he didn’t like that. Said I was getting soft and letting the hard-working people carry the slack.”

“Well, I’m glad he’s gone.” Eddie interrupted. “I don’t see him being a big help to us anytime soon.”

“He’s got another team.” Buck mused. “You don’t think he treats them like this, do you?”

“I’ve contacted his Captain and told him about the situation. From what he’s told me, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened, or the first time Rory was talked to about this. It will be handled.” Bobby told them, eyes hard, and Buck knew that Bobby wouldn't let it go. 

Bobby protected his own, too.

They ended up getting a replacement that worked out better for them. Word got around about Rory Smith and Buck eventually found out that he had been fired. Too many warnings and write-ups about workplace discrimination. Buck was glad the guy was gone; someone like that didn’t have any business saving people.


	25. Chapter 25

**54\. Trace**

Buck’s jeep hasn’t moved in two days.

Eddie shouldn’t know that, but he does, since he was the one to drive it last. The wheels haven’t been straightened out and the car is still slightly off center, going towards the right. Eddie wishes the observation didn’t leave him with a pit in his stomach. Buck hadn’t answered his phone this morning either. To be fair, Eddie doesn’t blame Buck for shutting everyone and everything out for a little bit. The past seven months have been rough, with the firetruck bombing and now this, a pulmonary embolism of all things, Eddie knows that Buck is at the end of his rope.

Knows that he’s running out of smiles, of forced laughs, of optimism. Realizing this scares Eddie; Buck is unstoppable, it’s a known fact, it’s something that makes him so glad that the blond is his best friend.

And now his best friend is drowning.

Buck always answers his phone. He loves driving his jeep and is particular with his parking.

Eddie grabs the bags from his passenger seat, his duffle bag with enough clothing to last the weekend, and the two grocery bags. He has the weekend off and Christopher is staying with Carla. Christopher had wanted to come along when Eddie told him of the weekend arrangements. It didn’t go over well when Eddie remained firm that Christopher was going with Carla and Eddie, and only Eddie, was going over to Buck’s. Christopher loved Buck, adored spending time with him, and lately that time to hang out together was being cut shorter and shorter.

“Chris, Buck isn’t feeling well right now.” Eddie said gently. He didn’t want to upset or scare Christopher, knew that Buck wouldn’t want that either, but he also wasn’t sure where Buck’s mood was at. Having a child around, while going in blind, was a recipe for trouble. “When he’s feeling a little better, I’ll make sure he facetime’s you, okay?” It wasn’t only them that were worried; Maddie had gotten some sporadic text messages and Bobby was balancing the line of boss and friend. Eddie coming over today was as close to a compromise as they could get seeing as the whole team wanted to come.

He walked up the steps to Buck’s door on autopilot and didn’t bother knocking on the door, just pulled out the spare key Buck gave him. The apartment was quiet. It felt wrong, Buck’s apartment was never quiet, the other man liked to play music, had the TV on while he did chores, or was talking on the phone with someone. The kitchen looked like it had been used recently, as shown by a lone dish in the sink, but that didn’t fill Eddie with relief since he didn’t know how long ago that was.

Buck was one of those people whose appetite vanished with increased stress. Add in the new medication and Buck probably hadn’t had a decent meal in days.

Eddie quickly put the groceries away, all things that were quick to make several ways, and favored Buck’s taste preferences. Once that was done, Eddie casted a look to the loft and steeled himself before heading towards the stairs. Buck’s phone was the ground and Eddie picked it up and plugged it into the charging cable. Then he kicked off his shoes and laid on the bed. Buck didn’t move or speak from his position under the covers. Eddie wanted to pull them off, wanted to shake Buck and get him back to normal, back to the same best friend he had before everything went sideways.

“I went to the store, got you some of your favorites, Christopher helped pick some stuff out. Said that you needed some junk food in addition to all the vegetables I’ll force on you.” Eddie kept his voice soft, unsure if Buck was asleep or not, and moved his hand slowly to the top of the blanket. Inch by inch, he gently peeled back the covers.

Buck wasn’t asleep, but he didn’t look completely awake either, and his eyes were red. That sent a pang to Eddie’s heart. At some point, Buck had been crying. Was it recent? Eddie shifted closer, so that only a few inches separated them on the bed, and he moved his hand up and over Buck’s head, settling on his neck.

“Did you eat today?” Buck shook his head and Eddie didn’t press him to talk. He could be patient. Buck wasn’t throwing him out, he could work with that, he just needed to take things slow. “What about getting out of bed? We could go downstairs, find a good film or a game?” Eddie kept his suggestions open, trying hard to make sure that his voice didn’t make the question sound like an order, wanted Buck to know he was in control. Buck shook his head again and Eddie felt his stomach sink.

“How about sitting up for a bit?” Eddie tried, at a lost, and rubbed his thumb at the base of Buck’s skull, hoping that it might give him some comfort, and tried not to let his worry show when Buck shook his head again. “That’s alright, we can stay here. How about I get you some water, maybe a little snack, we can watch some YouTube videos on my phone.”

“I couldn’t do it.” Buck’s voice was hoarse.

“Do what?”

“I couldn’t make it down the stairs. It hurt too much.” Buck sounded ashamed and Eddie wanted to shake him, tell him that he was incredible, had gone to hell and back and still had a smile for the people he cared about. “I just stopped trying.”

“That’s okay, let me help you, Buck.” Eddie tried to meet Buck’s eye. “Does your leg hurt?” Buck didn’t say anything and Eddie was scared to see his eyes watering. “Buck, I need to know, are you in any pain right now?” Chimney and Hen were working today; they could probably make it to Buck’s in under ten minutes.

“I’m so tired, Eddie.” Buck said, a soft sob getting loose. Eddie shifted closer, leaving no space between them, and pressed Buck against his chest. Buck’s hair was curly and he smelled faintly of old spice. Eddie slipped his hand under the covers, moving it up and down Buck’s back, trying not let his own emotions out. Now wasn’t the time for Eddie to fall apart as his suspicions were becoming more concrete the longer he stayed.

“I know you are, Buck.” Eddie noticed the dark circles underneath the tears. “I wish I could make it better for you.” Eddie doesn’t know how long they stayed there and eventually Buck stopped crying.

“I had a flashback last night. Couldn’t sleep and then I was back there, under the truck, and I tried to get out of bed. Landed wrong and I couldn’t get up for a while. Had to pull myself up back into bed.” Buck rasped. “How the hell am I supposed to go back to work if I can’t even get out of bed, Eds?”

“You take it one day at a time. Buck, we all know you’ll be back in the field with us. No one doubts that, it just might take a little while, just like when Chimney came back, remember?” Eddie asked and continued when Buck shrugged. “Have you told anyone about the flashbacks?”

“You.” Buck paused, swallowed, focused his gaze on the bedside table. “I just want my life back and every time I think that I have it, something happens and I’m right back where I started.”

Eddie remembered the hospital room after the bombing, all the wires and lines, the talks of possible amputation, of probable nerve damage, and the long rehab plan. Of the late nights, sitting up in bed or next to Buck in those uncomfortable chairs, wondering how his friend could come back from this.

“I can’t get you back into the field. I can’t make the pain stop.” Eddie said. “I’m willing to help you get out of this bed, hunt down those horrible grey sweatpants you love, and make you some good food. Hopefully, I’ll get you to laugh a little bit, or maybe just feel a little better for a few hours. I can be here, for you, and maybe by doing that all the other stuff won’t matter or make you upset for a while.”

As far as speeches go, it was weak, but Eddie hoped it got through the Buck. Showed how he cared, showed that he was here and wanted to help, in any way that Buck would let him.

“You’ve got Christopher.” Buck reminded him. Eddie shook his head, fingers running through Buck’s hair, nails lightly scratching.

“He’s spending the weekend with Carla. I think they’ve got some park adventure planned with some school friends. I want to spend the weekend with my best friend.” Eddie looked down, this time locking eyes with Buck, and the younger man didn’t look away. “Think he’ll put up with me for that long?”

“If he doesn’t insult my clothing choices again, I think he’ll be allowed to stay.” Buck answered, mouth twitching into a small smile, and Eddie relaxed, happy with the knowledge that Buck was letting him in.

Eddie found those hated sweatpants, along with a soft t-shirt, and helped Buck out of the bed and to the bathroom. Guarded the door while the shower was running and didn’t bat an eye when he had to step in when Buck’s leg cramped up. He left Buck sitting on the toilet seat, sipping water and taking his medication, while he changed the sheets. When that was done, the two made the slow descent down the stairs, Eddie retelling some of the stories that Christopher had told him from the past couple of days. Buck gradually began to talk more, answering with words rather than just body language, and Eddie made sure not make a big deal about it. Knew that wasn’t what Buck wanted or needed.

They ended up in the kitchen, Eddie making a light dish, chicken with rice and vegetables. Buck occasionally joined in, helping to wash the vegetables and only mildly complaining about how rough Eddie was treating his cooking equipment and pans. Eddie mentally cheered when Buck ate the majority of the meal. The two ended up on the couch, curled up together much like they were before, watching an old comedy skit. Eddie knew this wouldn’t magically fix things, likely knew that Buck would still be feeling awful come morning, and that having Eddie over for the weekend wouldn’t bring him back to his usual self.

But, at this point in time, his best friend was smiling. He let Eddie say the punchlines even if it ruined the effect of the joke. Buck didn’t argue when Eddie gently placed another glass of water into his hands. Buck didn’t make a big deal of it when Eddie curled back with him on the bed, not the couch, when he got tired and his leg was starting to get stiff. Eddie let his thoughts drift, trying hard not to move and disturb Buck, wondered how much longer the taking it day by day mentality would work, wondered how much longer Buck would think that his life could, once again, be placed on pause.

Eddie pulled Buck closer, focusing instead on the soft breaths hitting his shoulder, and waited for the morning to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy! I love reading all your comments :) 
> 
> Also, since I have a lot of free time, there is quite a long list of ideas I have. I'm planning on making this collection a 3-part series, so I'll probably cap this one off around 38 chapters before starting the new one. In the future, I've got two actual story fics planned, one focusing on Maddie and Buck, and the other one being about Lone star and some good old whump for Carlos.
> 
> Hope everyone is staying healthy and safe!


	26. Chapter 26

**92\. Flexible**

Like most things, it starts out with just Eddie and Christopher.

The morning stretches first began as a way to help manage the CP, reduce the muscle tone, and provide some sense of relief and strength to his kid. He usually did his own version of a morning stretch and some basic strengthening exercises alongside Christopher. He wasn’t sure if Shannon ever did it, didn’t want to ask Chris since he still got upset occasionally when asked about his mom, and he wanted to think that the morning routine was solely theirs.

When he became friends with Buck, and Christopher was introduced, he should have known the two would become thick as thieves. Christopher liked how tall Buck was, always asking for rides on his shoulders, or to be picked up by holding onto his arms, or latching onto his good leg as Buck walked around. Buck never seemed to mind, the two often moving in sync with one another, and Eddie felt happy in that knowledge.

There was never this fear that Buck was replacing him; Christopher loved Eddie, Eddie loved Chris, and the two of them agreed that Buck coming into their lives was something wonderful. Even if he couldn’t put the words to it, not yet anyway, Eddie was sure that Buck knew how much he meant to them. In addition to his son latching onto his best friend, Eddie was also the recipient to some of Buck’s quirks.

One of them being that when worried, or stressed, or just bored, Buck tended to research everything. He often picked a topic and followed it down the rabbit hole; usually the team was force to listen through some long-winded explanation or left speechless by bizarre facts. Eddie didn’t mind, as Buck had a reason for looking up the things he did, you just had to know how to spot it. Christopher took full advantage of Buck’s researching binges. His son had his own topics of interest, most of which Eddie knew about, and when they met up Christopher would throw one at Buck and that was it.

Eddie knew that Buck would take it and go, finding child friendly videos and pictures, how it could incorporate into various activities with Chris that he would enjoy, and everything in between. It left Eddie with some memorable science projects, and one glitter incident that meant that his kitchen table was never the same after one Saturday afternoon, and filled the house with plenty of laughter. He should have known that the morning stretches would come up at some point.

Buck never fixated on Christopher’s CP. He knew it was there, was aware of certain risks or barriers, but for the most he treated Chris like any other kid. It made Eddie weak in relief, seeing his kid just being treated as a kid, and aware that Buck would be willing to go to bat for him. After being the two of them for so long, Eddie had forgotten what it was like to have someone fiercely advocate for Christopher that wasn't himself. Sleepovers started happening several months into their friendship.

Usually, Eddie and Christopher would do their morning stretches in the living room while Buck made them breakfast. Eddie wasn’t a big time cook, and Bobby’s lessons had clearly been working, so all Christopher had to do was bat his eyes up at Buck and the man folded.

Until one day it changed.

Buck was spending the weekend with them; a new park had opened and Christopher wanted to go, and obviously they had to take Buck with them. Not that Buck put up a fight. They had stayed up later than normal, finding a TV series both of them enjoyed, drinking a couple of beers and laughing at the screen. Christopher had woken them both up, at seven o’clock no less, voice loud and demanding pancakes in a way only a child could. Buck, only half awake and hair a mess, yawned and nodded. Christopher usually turned on the TV for cartoons while Buck cooked, waiting for Eddie to come over so they could start their routine, but that morning he followed Buck into the kitchen. Clinging to his waist, mindful to go his right side, Christopher twirled his fingers in Buck’s shirt and rested his weight against Buck’s hip. Eddie watched the scene fondly as he got the coffee going.

“Buck?”

“What’s up, bud?” Buck might have been pulling things out but his attention was solely on Christopher.

“You should do the stretches with us.” Christopher said it frankly, causing Buck to pause, and Eddie didn’t see any reason why Buck couldn’t join. “You and Daddy can work together.”

“Are you sure, Chris? That’s usually you and your dad’s thing.”

Buck often had this idea in his head that he could overstep, as if any moment the other shoe could drop and he would be asked to leave, that he would be told that he had to stop being a part of their lives. Eddie disliked it and still couldn’t figure out a way to fix it. Christopher was a good solution. His son waited against Buck’s side, hair a wild mess of curls, and Eddie calmly poured them coffee and a glass of juice for Chris. Buck caught his eye, asking the unspoken question, and Eddie didn’t have to think before answering.

“I think we can leave the food for a little bit. You could even show me this time, since this guy over here is always asking for pancakes when you aren’t here.” Eddie said, tickling Chris once, before moving into the living room to shift the coffee table and couch to make more room.

“Because Buck makes the best pancakes.” Christopher’s voice was tinged with laughter. He cupped his hands to whisper to Buck. “Daddy always burns the bottoms of them and he set the fire alarm off once.”

“Chris!” Eddie cried. Buck lost that tense edge he had, chuckling, and finally stopped what he was doing in the kitchen to head into the living room.

And that’s how it started.

From then on, whenever the trio had a sleepover, Buck would join them in the morning stretches. Eddie began to notice small changes over time. There was a rug in Buck’s living room one day, a new one, softer and larger. It didn’t escape Eddie’s knowledge that it was a fabric that Christopher preferred. The stretches seemed to help; Christopher took great pride and glee in telling Buck what to do, and since Buck had his own ones to do from PT it worked out. Eddie should have known that it was only a matter of time before another research binge occurred.

They were at the station when it happened. The locker room was quiet, with half of the team in the showers attempting to wash off the gunk from their last call, and Eddie and Buck were slowly getting changed. Eddie’s body felt like one giant bruise and he dreaded the process of getting out of bed in the morning. Buck seemed to be moving the same way, wincing as he lifted his arms to put his shirt on, Eddie spying a swatch of purple on his ribs. Buck groaned as his duffle fell out of the locker, belongings tumbling out, and Eddie smirked from his spot on the bench as Buck started picking stuff up. Except, Eddie spied a packet of paper near his feet and grabbed it. Read the title. Felt his body warm and he waited until Buck noticed him holding it.

“I was going to show you tonight.” Buck said after realizing that Eddie wasn’t going to speak first. “I just stumbled on it, and then I remember that my PT mentioned something similar to it once, and I noticed that a lot of research articles referenced it. We don’t have to use it, I just thought it might be an idea in case Chris wants to try something new.” Buck rambled when he was nervous. And he only researched when he was either worried or stressed.

Eddie glanced down at the packet, containing over two dozen stretches for children with CP, aimed at promoting improved flexibility and gross motor movement.

“You spent hours, yes hours Buck, I know how long you can get sucked into your phone, looking into something that could help Chris. For no other reason besides wanting to give him more options if he wants it.” Eddie answered. “You honestly thought I would be mad that you found me something that could help my kid?”

Buck introduced him to Carla. Made it alright with Bobby and welcomed Chris to the station. Kept his kid safe through a nature disaster to the best of his ability. Eddie knew that Buck would always jump on the chance to do something good for Christopher.

“It’s your thing with Chris. I don’t want to intrude on that.” Buck mumbled.

“It isn’t intruding if Christopher asks you to participate with us. I don’t have to point out that he was missing you last week when you had to leave early for a shift, right?” Eddie asked. Buck shrugged. “Buck, this is a good thing. I’m not mad at you for finding something new that Chris could enjoy. So, we are going to finish this shift, go back my place, and then we can show Christopher.”

Buck didn’t argue with him; Eddie credited his patented Dad Voice and the fact that Buck didn’t fight him when it came to Christopher. Well, over most things; the little things, like Christopher staying up a little later or sneaking him a treat when Eddie wasn’t looking, those things were fine.

Christopher loved the packet. Most of the stretches were some Eddie was familiar with and they tried out one or two the next morning. Buck did it with them, still letting Eddie’s nine-year-old tell him what to do, and then bowed to Christopher’s demands for chocolate chip pancakes. Eddie righted the living room, stretch packet safely put away so they wouldn’t lose it, and watched his best friend and kid interact in the kitchen. Morning stretches were still special to him, precious time he got to spend with Christopher, and it was made better by having Buck there with them.

Maybe he should look into other stretches designed for legs…it could help Chris and Buck, and he might see what it was like to fall into the research void…


	27. Chapter 27

**15\. Civilian**

Chimney tried to keep his nerves even. It was supposed to be a simple call; three car collision, minor injuries, no one even needed to be transported to the hospital. He and Buck were meant to be checking on the last car, which contained two men inside, and Buck had begun to assess the driver while Chimney checked the passenger. When he looked into the car, however, his eyes didn’t fall on the patient, they landed on the gun held loosely in his hand.

“I would think carefully before you try anything.” The voice was hard, angry, and Chimney glanced up at Buck. The other man was gripping the steering wheel tightly, face pale, and Chimney was starting to think the car accident hadn’t been so random at all.

“I’m just here to help. Are you hurt anywhere?” Chimney had been prepped on hostage situations before. He knew that he had to remain calm, keep the focus on him, give Buck the chance to flag down help if possible. “What about your friend there?” The passenger scowled, index finger circling the trigger, and Chimney saw Bobby out of the corner of his eye. Chimney’s hand, blocked out of sight from the passenger, made the thumbs down motion.

It was a simply system they used when they needed to communicate without words. Thumbs up meant everything was alright, thumbs down meant trouble was happening. The driver winced, either to try and get comfortable from an unseen injury or to get away from the situation.

“We don’t need help. We need to get out of here.” The man said. “Let us go.”

“You can be on your way whenever you want, man.” Buck said, and Chimney could tell he was trying to shift without being noticed, in an effort to ensure that the driver’s door could open all the way. “That’s a nasty cut on your arm, we can bandage that right now.” The guy did have a cut on his arm, the blue fabric sticky with blood, and Chimney tried to remember where the cops where. Last he checked, they had still been on the first car in the accident, the one with the worst damages.

“I don’t want any help, you fucker. I already told you, we need to leave.”

“You can leave whenever you want, no one here is telling you that you can’t.” Chimney reminded him. Had Bobby noticed that something was up? Was he going to get help? “Do you want to get out of the car?”

“We aren’t leaving.”

“You have a flat tire. Is there someone you can call?” Buck asked. The man turned to face him and the gun in his lap twitched. Chimney’s stomach clenched; with the change in movement, the gun was now pointing in Buck’s direction, not forward like before.

“This is none of your business.” The hand holding the gun was trembling. Aware that they were running out of time, Chimney chanced looking around, hoping to see anyone that could help. He caught sight of two cops, and he was willing to bet his expression gave off the classic “we are in deep shit” look. “Listen, we are going to leave and you are going to let us. Or someone is going to get hurt.”

Chimney should not know that the sound of a safety coming off sounded like. He had never been a big fan of guns, knew that Buck wasn’t either, and this was not how he imagined his shift going.

“No one has to get hurt, man, we just want to help you if you'll let us.” Chimney saw the cops move in, one of them pointing down to the guard, as the other cop moved to the other side of the car. He hoped Buck noticed the new arrivals. The passenger began to get more agitated, muttering under his breath, and the driver began to cry.

“Let me out, Harold, just let me out. I don’t have it; I don’t know where she is.” The driver cried. The other man, Harold then, shook his head and raised the gun. However, he didn’t lift it to the driver. Instead, the gun lifted to his rest just under his chin.

“You do know. You helped her leave. She left me because of you.” Harold was crying now. “I want her back, Joe, I want my girl back. Just give her back to me.” Chimney swallowed and nodded to Buck, as his friend began to inch to the side, and carefully cracked the door open.

“I don’t know what happened, Harold, but it doesn’t have to end like this. You don’t have to end your life.” Chimney said. “Why don’t you give the gun to me?”

“No, I don’t have any options.”

“You have the option to not die like this. In a busted car with your friend watching.” Chimney continued. “He seems pretty scared right now.”

“He took my girl from me.” Harold sobbed. “He took her. 15 years of friendship and he does this to me.”

Buck had the door a few inches open and the driver was leaning into him. The cops were on the edges of Chimney’s vision.

“I’m sorry that that happened to you, Harold. I can’t bring your girl back to you, but I can help a little bit right now, if you’ll let me.” Chimney soothed. “How about we start by bandaging this arm?” Harold paused, staring out the windshield, and he slowly nodded.

“I punched Joe. In the stomach. Can you check him?”

“Sure. My partner over there is going to open the door and let your friend out.” Chimney narrated every step, something that Buck mimicked, and soon Joe was out of the car and being ushered off to the side. “Alright, now why don’t we take a look at this arm.”

“I was cruel to her, never treated her right, and Joe did. I can’t be mad at him for that, I never deserved her, never was good enough for her.”

“You can apologize for it, Harold, you can try to fix it and make it better.” Chimney said. He slowly inched his hand over to Harold’s, touch light. “Why don’t you give me the gun?”

That pause was one of the longest ones Chimney had to endure in a long time.

Harold shifted in his seat, finally noticing the cops, before resignation came over his face. He lowered the gun, moving it towards the open window where Chimney was, and he worked hard to keep his body still. The gun dropped from Harold’s hand, clattering the ground, and Harold began to sob in earnest from his seat. Chimney moved to let the cops come closer, taking care of the gun, and Chimney did his job; cleaning and wrapping the cut, before moving away to let the cops come over.

Buck was alone by the time he met back up with him. His face was pinched, a clear sign that the call had been too close, and Chimney could only agree. That was one of the cruxes of being a first responder; being the first on the scene meant that you didn’t have all the information, often learning it on the fly.

“The other guy is alright. Didn’t have a bruise on him.” Buck reported. “I guess it was a marriage dispute or something.”

“Harold is alright. Dropped the gun, the cops are with him now.” Chimney said. He wondered if there would be any criminal charges; Harold did have a gun, and had clearly been keeping the driver, Joe, hostage in the car. “The cut on his arm was superficial, shouldn’t even scar.”

“I hate guns.” Buck eventually said. Chimney nodded, watching as Eddie finished whatever he was doing on the truck and raised his hand in response to Bobby’s call to roll out.

They didn’t talk in the truck, Hen kept shooting him worried looks, to which he didn’t answer. No one mentioned that Chimney and Buck sat together on the way back, or the fact that the two declined to go up to the loft, moving into the shower room after changing. Chimney was drying off his hair when Buck started talking again.

“The gun only had one bullet in it.” Chimney stopped what he was doing to give Buck his full attention. “Joe told me when we were by the ambulance. Said that Harold didn’t bother putting lots of bullets in and that’s why he caused the accident. He was hoping to get the gun out of his hands when they crashed, or maybe it would go off and the round would be empty.”

It should have made Chimney feel better, to know that Harold wasn’t able to cause any serious damage to himself or others, but it didn’t. Being in that much pain, and looking at using an option that could irrevocably change your life and others, was not something that Chimney would ever wish on someone.

“He broke down once you left. I don’t think he actually noticed I was still there once he dropped the gun.” Chimney closed his eyes. “I hate guns, too.”

They eventually made their way back to the loft, where Bobby slipped them their late meals, not rushing them to talk. Hen was a silent presence on his side and Eddie was doing his normal routine to get Buck to lose the tightness in his shoulders. The next call went better and the remainder of their shift was spent in a rare quiet atmosphere. Still, that night, he hugged Maddie tighter and tried not to think about all the calls they had that often involved guns.

How, for the most part, it always ended with the person choosing not to use it. Wondered when that luck would run out.

Chimney didn’t tell Maddie about the call, didn’t want to worry her, and tried futilely to get to sleep. He forced himself to focus on the positives.

No fatalities. No serious injuries. Both individuals in that third car walked away. The gun, with its single bullet, hadn’t been used. Chimney drifted into an uneasy sleep, trying to comfort himself with the thought that tomorrow would be better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is doing alright this weekend! Stay safe, stay healthy, and leave a comment if you wish :)


	28. Chapter 28

**57\. Boat**

Chimney rolled over in the bed, stretched, and gazed down at Maddie. His wife was still asleep, hair a mess on the pillow, and there was a little drool spot close to where Chimney’s hand was. He didn’t think she could get more adorable if she tried. It was still early, and for once Chimney didn’t find any reason to rush out of bed, especially since they were on vacation. It had taken a little work to get to this point; firstly, they had to decided where they wanted to go.

Eventually, they decided on an Alaskan cruise. Close to home, not terribly expensive, and neither of them had ever been and had only heard great things about it. They were two days into their trip and Chimney was utterly relaxed. He and Maddie had spent the first day walking around the ship, finding all the spots they wanted to go to, and enjoying the views.

There had been dancing on the deck that night, music loud and pounding, and while it wasn’t his normal scene, Maddie pulled him to his feet anyway. They danced, grinded, kissed, and everything in between. When they returned to their room, feeling the effects of those several drinks they ordered and consumed, the touching hadn’t stopped. They didn’t do much past some making out and lots of heavy petting; Chimney was privy to certain details of abuse that Maddie had endured and they had already discussed boundaries.

Falling asleep, curled around Maddie, Chimney didn’t think that it could get any better. Everyone was in a good spot in their lives, work was going swiftly by, and Chimney figured there was no better time to go than now. He grabbed his phone from the bedside table, not wanting to risk waking Maddie in an attempt to get out of bed, and started to go through the usual messages and social media. He posted several pictures, an adorable couple one of them that was his new lock screen, and some scenic ones of them overlooking the water. Hen had left him a few messages, mainly telling him to have fun and safe travels (which was always a risk with their friend group), and to pick her up a nice souvenir. Maddie shifted, face scrunching up, and her eyes parted. Chimney gave her a few minutes, knowing that Maddie wasn’t firing on all cylinders first thing in the morning, and set his phone down. Maddie stretched and rolled closer to him, not stopping until she was straddling him.

“Good morning.” She said, leaning down to kiss him, and Chimney placed his hands on her hips to steady her.

“Good morning.” Chimney replied. “How did you sleep?”

“Fairly well. There was an insanely hot guy in my bed last night.” Maddie always looked particularly beautiful in the mornings; her hair was slightly curly, face soft, and she had worn one of his shirts to bed last night.

“Oh, well then, I’ll have you know that I managed to snag this gorgeous chick.” Chimney teased. “Know where I could find her?” Maddie laughed and pressed another kiss to his lips, before moving down to his cheek, and lower to his neck. Chimney hummed, tilting his head to give her better access, and tightened his grip.

“I was thinking that we finish what we started last night.” Maddie mused. “Since we are on vacation, no phone calls to interrupt us, and we haven’t even tested the bed yet.”

“Or darling friends to drop by just because they were bored.” Chimney said, hands shifting from Maddie’s hips to slide under the t-shirt. “I like this idea so far.”

“Good.”

There was never an issue with preferences; Maddie often led, Chimney didn’t mind, however this morning he wanted to take charge. There was no one to barge in on them, which happened more than once sadly, and Maddie was all his. Grinning, letting Maddie tangle her hands in his hair, Chimney rolled over to brace his body on top of hers.

“Hello there.” He whispered, starting a trail of light kissed and nips from her neck to collarbone. “Mmmh, that feels nice.”

Maddie’s hands were soon pulling his shirt up and over his head, a move her quickly repeated with her, and with the clothing barrier removed they continued. Morning sex was probably one of his favorite things, both of them still somewhat sleepy, the touches light, nothing forcing them to go faster. Later, when they were finished, the two finally decided it was time to start the day. Stomachs groaning, they quickly showered and dressed, going for comfy and casual.

The dining room was packed, noise coming from all sides, but they were able to grab some food quickly and found a nice spot on a little patio place outside. The wind was warm, warmer than Chimney expected, and they people watched while they ate.

“I think they have karaoke here.” Maddie popped another piece of fruit into her mouth. “We need to do it.”

“Is that even a question?” It was their thing, singing to one another, even when they weren’t doing it on a stage. “They have a wine tasting later this afternoon, do you want to go?”

“Are you trying to charm me with good food and wine, Mr. Han?” Maddie teased. Chimney smirked, lifting his fork to his mouth, popping the last of his eggs in.

“Of course not, Mrs. Han, why would you ever think such a thing?” Chimney linked their hands together and batted his eyes. “Besides, I can’t help it if you get such a pretty wine blush.” Maddie swatted his arm playfully and they both laughed.

“It’s a genetic thing!”

It was; Chimney and Eddie had compared notes extensively.

“Well, regardless, I want to take you out for some delicious wine, stuff ourselves full, and then spend the night dancing again.” Chimney said.

They ended up walking around some more, gazing at the ocean and coastlines, occasionally talking but mostly enjoying each other’s presence. At Chimney’s insistence, they reenacted the scene from Titanic, which caused those around them to laugh and Maddie to blush, and they decided to go back and change into their swimsuits. There was karaoke, which they ended up doing, and often found themselves there each night even if they didn’t always go up for a song. They made friends with another couple from Oregon, the four of them deciding to go to the wine event together and later some of the cooking activities and shows on the cruise ship.

Chimney was snapping plenty of pictures; Hen was jealous, telling him that the temperatures were reaching high 90’s back in LA, and the AC went out the other day. Chimney sent her a picture of the glaciers and received a selfie of Hen’s unimpressed face and her flipping him off.

“I wanna stay here forever.” Maddie was tucked into his side. They were on one of the upper portions of the ship watching the sky turn dark, stars coming out to twinkle at them.

“I don’t think you want to live on a ship for the rest of your life.” Chimney said. “We could buy a house on the shore.”

“When we’re both old and gray.” Maddie told him, eyes soft, and Chimney could see it now.

The two of them, still dancing around the house, surrounded by grandchildren and their friends. Chimney knew at some point there would be children running around; he and Maddie had started to discuss it earlier this year. Call it baby fever, even if no one had actually had any babies yet, but with Karen and Hen having finalized the adoption, Maddie was open to the idea of kids.

“I like that idea.”

“The house on the coast idea?”

“Us getting old together.”

There had been a time when Chimney didn’t think they would get to have thoughts like this. Those hours that Maddie had been gone, the terror that followed, and then the relief and pain going forward had been a long process of getting their relationship back on its feet. It wasn’t what they had before, and Chimney mourned it, and together the two built something new. Something better. In the end, it resulted in them finally tying the knot and proudly telling the world that they were it for one another.

“I like that, too.” Maddie said, face curling into an easy smile, and Chimney couldn’t help but kiss her. “I can’t wait to see you with grey hair.”

“Excuse you, I will not get grey hair.”

“You so will!” Maddie looked contemplative for a moment before a familiar heat took shape behind her eyes. Chimney could feel himself shift and he wondered why he had chosen to wear jeans tonight. “I’m hoping for a silver fox look.”

“You’ll be gorgeous.” Chimney answered. “Still sexy, and hot, and totally mine.”

They exchanged a few more kisses, nothing too extreme since they were still out in the open, and there were children around. Hands linked, the pair went back to their room, the moment the door shut they were back on one another. Chimney almost felt bad for their neighbors, before Maddie did that thing with her hips, and Chimney refocused his attention.

Chimney loved going on vacation.


	29. Chapter 29

**80\. Date**

To be fair, Eddie thought the night wouldn’t dissolve into the mess it currently was, but then again, he should have known better.

Date night was a thing that most couples engaged in. Eddie, not one to be big into planning, preferred the quieter nights in, or calm evenings out. Buck was the planner, enjoyed setting up fun days out, often incorporating Christopher, and never seemed put off that Eddie only occasionally surprised him. When they finally got their shit together, and endured the seemingly endless ribbing from their friends, they stepped into the next aspect of dating.

Double dates.

Eddie knew that he couldn’t escape it. Maddie was Buck’s sister, was probably one of the few people that could make Buck cave with just a few words or a well placed look, and she had Chimney as backup. Chimney, a man who seemed unfazed by Eddie's surly moods, and who didn’t stop trying to get people involved in whatever schemes he was planning. It ended up with Chimney cornering him in the locker room one day, with Hen looking on with an amused gaze, not lifting a finger to help him.

“You are going on a double date with us.” Chimney stated. Eddie was frozen, one foot lifted in the air as he was getting out of his work shoes, and tried to quickly scan the room for his boyfriend. It figured that Buck wasn’t in the room when he needed him.

“Well, I need to-“ Eddie tried to say before Chimney continued.

“Nope! I have had to sit through two whole years, plus some, of listening to the two of you dance around each other. Do you have any idea how hard it is to not laugh when you’ve got a drunk Buck talking about the color of your eyes? Do you?” Chimney ranted. “Maddie planned this, you are going, and if you don’t, so help me Diaz, I will tell Buck all about the Atlantic Street call.”

Eddie paled, images flashing through his mind, and he quickly shook his head.

“No, no, there’s no reason to do that! We’ll go, just text me the details.” Eddie rushed to say. Buck could not know about that call; Chimney hadn’t been able to stop laughing and playing the ‘Barbie Girl’ song whenever he walked into the station for weeks.

“I already texted Buck.” Chimney said cheerfully, the change in attitude throwing him, and he didn’t like the glint in Hen’s eyes. “That way, you’ll have no chance to flake out on us.”

So, here they were, a week later on this freaking double date with Chimney and Maddie. The four of them were at the local bowling alley, thankfully not the same one they were at during the recent call regarding the pin machine. Buck had driven, the jerk, and Eddie tried not to sulk as they got out of the car.

“You are acting like this is going to be awful.” Buck said. Eddie huffed and shut the door.

“He would pick bowling.” Eddie grumbled. “He’s going to kick my ass and then hold it over my head for the next month.” Buck blinked at him and Eddie tried not to fidget in place.

“Okay. First of all, Maddie picked bowling; the two of us like it, and we both agreed to not let Chimney pick. All his other suggested choices would have been worse for you, so you’re welcome.” Buck hit the lock button on his car keys. “Also, you are a sore loser and majorly competitive, which I love, but if you act like a twelve-year-old, I will withhold sex tonight.” Eddie narrowed his eyes.

“You’re bluffing.”

“Nope. So, I’ll give you a challenge. If you manage to accept your loss with dignity, I will do that thing you like.” Buck offered. Eddie thought about it.

“There’s a lot of things I like that you do.” Eddie hedged. Buck simply raised an eyebrow.

“You know which one I am talking about Eddie.”

“Fine, fine, yes, I will lose with dignity.” Eddie caved. “What happens if I win?” Buck laughed outright and Eddie tried hard not to pout.

“If you win, then I’ll let you pick your reward.” Buck didn’t seem to confident that he would come away from this with a victory, Eddie privately didn’t think he would either; they tried bowling before and his ball ended up in another lane that was being used by a children’s birthday party. It had been awkward for everyone.

“Deal.” Eddie said. Buck started to walk forward and Eddie pulled him back. “Nope, we need to kiss on it”

“People shake hands to confirm a deal, babe.”

“I am kissing you, Evan, now pucker up.”

Chimney was rearing to go, having gotten them all set up on the screen, and Maddie and Buck went to go pick out their bowling balls. Eddie laced up his shoes and tried not to glare at the waxed floor. The bowling ball incident only happened once, what were the chances of it happening again?

Maddie had payed for two games to start out with. Chimney demanded that they play as couples, to which the Buckley siblings exchanged a look, and the group agreed. It didn’t go well. By the halfway point of the first game, Eddie and Chimney had dissolved into bickering with one another, the two of them having scores that ranged between 30-50 points. Maddie and Buck were rocking multiple strikes and spares and their scores tripled their boyfriends.

“Let’s play as couples.” Eddie complained as he watched Buck get another strike. He couldn’t even admire the way his boyfriends back rippled as he threw the ball, or the way his jeans hugged his ass just right. “We are getting our asses kicked.”

“Well, Maddie and Buck are competition for each other.” Chimney said, mouth dropping a bit as Maddie also got a strike. Seriously, did the two play on a team in the past? “I’m just trying to get above 80 points.”

“I want to win.” Eddie was glad that Chris wasn’t here tonight. His son would no doubt tell him that it wasn’t polite to insist that he always win. And since he was trying to set a good example, Eddie couldn’t disagree.

Being a parent sucked at times when you had to be a good role model.

“Well, so do I!”

“Chim, Buck promised me special favors if I took my loss with dignity. But, I really want to win.” Eddie said, eyes conveying a very clear look, and Chimney’s mouth opened in a silent realization. Neither spoke, each suffering through another two painfully bad frames, before continuing their conversation.

“Maddie said she would let me go out with her if I let you win.”

“You go out with her often.”

“No, out shopping with her. For fun things.” Chimney gave his own clear look. “Sexy clothing things.”

“Ah. I could handle you winning one.”

“I could handle letting you suffer a terrible loss one game.”

“Since we both want the same, well, not the same things, we should help each other get our rewards.”

“It’s only fair.”

“Of course, and we don’t want to disappoint them.”

“Duh, of course not, Maddie is mean when she sulks.”

“Buck uses Christopher against me. My own kid.”

“Alright, we throw this game, win our rewards, and then continue this date by trying to one up each other.”

“Deal.”

Maddie and Buck were watching them from the bowling ball rack. The siblings exchanged a look and sighed in tandem.

“You’d think that they would notice us standing there watching them.” Maddie said, taking her turn, before turning back to her brother.

“Eddie and Chimney like to mess around with each other, but at least they’re trying.” Buck looked up at the score board. “Well, trying might be the wrong word.”

“So, what favor did you promise him?”

“Maddie, I love you, but I am not discussing that with you.”

“I’ll tell you what I offered Chimney.”

“Ew, no, no Maddie, I don’t need to know that!” Buck said, nose scrunching up at that, and Maddie grinned. “Maddie, don’t you dare!”

“Well, I told him-“ Maddie started.

“La la la, not listening!”

Pausing from their conversation, Eddie and Chimney looked over at their partners, confused at the sight of Maddie attempting to talk to Buck, who was pressing his hands over his ears. One thing was for sure, double dates were weird when you included two Buckleys, a Han, and a Diaz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so begins week 3 of quarantine. I'm pretty excited for how these last few chapters have come out, even if there are gonna be some angsty ones in the mix. Hope everyone is keeping healthy and happy!


	30. Chapter 30

**18\. Wine**

Buckley nights were something that started out when Buck was a kid and Maddie was a teenager. It was one of the few happier memories that Buck had regarding his childhood, and when Maddie tracked him down in LA, he was ecstatic to resume them. In the past, they used to spend nights curled up on Maddie’s twin sized bed, making up dumb little stories, or sneaking out of the house to play on the nearby playground under the streetlights.

Being a little older meant they had more options; occasionally they went out, but many times they spent the night in, wanting that privacy and closeness that had been absent for years. Buck was stretched out on the couch, Maddie taking up the loveseat, and the movie title screen had been playing on a loop for the past…however long. Buck couldn’t really tell; after Maddie poured them another glass, giggling as she did so, Buck stopped worrying about the time.

They had the apartment to themselves; Chimney was working a 24-hour shift, Maddie was off for the weekend, and Buck didn’t have anywhere to be until Sunday morning. Abuela was hosting brunch that day and had insisted, well, more like demanded, that Buck be there, as she complained she hadn’t seen him enough lately.

“I saw more of you when Edmundo was still acting like an idioto.” Abuela scolded when Buck last picked Christopher up at her house. “I’ll see you on Sunday, mijo.” Apparently dating Eddie now meant that Buck had been officially adopted by the elder Diaz. Buck was off this weekend, Eddie and Christopher had decided that they wanted to spend the weekend doing some home repairs, and Maddie decided that it was the perfect time for a sibling night.

They had a solid routine down by this point; dinner ordered from their favorite Indian place, a stack of good movies, not the ones Chimney wanted them to watch, and a selection of alcoholic beverages. Buck had picked last time, finally getting Maddie to try some of his favorite craft beer, and Buck knew what he was in for this time around. Maddie adored wine. She didn’t have a preference, which made it easy to bring bottles over when they had dinner, and Buck often joined her when she did drink. The problems started when they were a couple glasses in.

See, Buck liked to think he had a fairly good alcohol tolerance. Wine, however, was something else entirely. Chimney liked to tease Buck and Maddie about their wine blush, which often showed up after the third glass, and how it was incredibly easy at that point to get the two of them to spill their guts about anything. Eddie, the jerk, took full advantage of that when they finally started dating. Maddie would blab about anything; Buck tended to be a sappy guy when the effects of the wine hit him. At least this time it was just the two of them in the apartment.

“We should get changed into pajamas.” Maddie said, tipping her glass back into her mouth and then placing it, harder than usual, onto the coffee table. “I for one am sick of wearing a bra.”

“I won’t argue about that, perks of being a guy.” Buck said. He still had a decent amount left in his glass, which was a nice merlot they were drinking tonight, and his phone was currently lost to the couch cushions. “Eddie took one of my sleeping shirts, now I’m down to three, and I’m sure Christopher stole some too.”

“Aw, you share clothing.” Maddie cooed, finally getting herself up off the loveseat. She bullied Buck into standing, which was way more difficult than it should have been, and the two swapped out clothes. As Maddie did her thing in the bathroom, Buck hunted down his phone, and saw that there were two messages from Eddie.

>>> Hope you’re having fun. I can’t find the screwdriver and there is an unfinished bedframe on my living room floor.

>>> Evan where is the screwdriver for the love of god??? Christopher is laughing at me!

Buck smiled, and began to type out a response, a dangerous thing considering he had been drinking, but it was Eddie and he didn’t judge him for the endless messages he got during Buckley nights.

<<< I sort of can’t feel my toes but it’s a lot of fun.

<<< I think it might be in the kitchen.

<<< Maddie thinks it’s cute that we share clothes.

He got distracted after that, helping Maddie hunt down some snacks and restarting the movie, before remembering his boyfriend. Maddie shamelessly looked over his shoulder, since they were sitting next to one another, and watched him type.

>>> Finally found it in the back of that drawer.

>>> I like seeing you in my clothes.

“That’s a turn on for sure.” Maddie said. Buck could feel his neck getting hot, maybe Chimney was right about the wine blush thing, and tried to refocus on the current task.

<<< I’m running out of shirts.

<<< If I run out then I won’t have any and I’ll have to be shirtless.

>>> And that’s a bad thing? I like you shirtless.

>>> I have some shirts for you when you come home.

“He’s got a possessive vibe.” Buck tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. “Eddie likes seeing his marks on me, gets all…beast like. It’s hot.”

“Of course it’s hot, the two of you probably screw like rabbits.”

“I walked in on you and Chimney, Mads, you don’t get to infer on my love life.” And ya, was that an image that he wanted to get out of his head. “Eddie’s great.” Maddie got a soft look on her face and she began to play with his hair. Buck closed his eyes and relaxed into it, familiar with this touch, something that Maddie had always done for him.

“He makes you happy.” Buck opened his eyes to Maddie smiling at him. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this happy in a long time.”

“I didn’t think I’d get to have him. Life was awful before and then he made it better. He makes a lot of things better.” Buck didn’t like to linger on the past; those days were behind him and he had something good going for him. “He gave me Chris.”

They cuddled some more, Maddie somehow convinced him to have another glass with her, and he accidently pressed the call button to his phone.

“Hello? Buck?” Buck looked down at his hip where his phone was. Eddie’s contact number was there, complete with the picture they took a few weeks ago at the local zoo. “Buck?”

“Hi.”

“Babe, what are you doing? Aren’t you hanging out with Maddie?”

“Accident, I called by accident.” Why were the words so hard to get out? “I told Maddie that you’re a beast.”

“A sexy beast!” Maddie corrected. Eddie laughed and Buck hummed; he loved Eddie’s laugh, wanted to hear that sound every day.

“I see. Well, as your personal sexy beast, I think you should go back to your night with Maddie.” Eddie’s voice had that little ring to it when he was fighting back more laughter. “Be sure to drink some water before you go to sleep, babe, okay?”

“I love you.” They had already said those words before, didn’t mean they meant any different, and Buck never wanted to stop saying them.

“I love you, too.” Eddie said. “Now, go have fun with your sister, I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

They never made it off the couch, falling asleep leaning against each other, and waking up far too early the next morning with a lovely wine headache. Maddie stumbling through making the morning pot of coffee, Buck attempting to make sense of her fridge, as he glanced down at his phone. He had his good morning voice message from Chris, a text from Athena, and several more from Eddie. They were of the standard variety: good morning, see you when you get home, I am never building furniture again. His text messages were definitely not.

<<< I love your laugh, wanna hear it forever.

<<< You make me happy, and Maddie is happy that I’m happy.

<<< I love you.

Maddie bumped his elbow, hair in wild disarray, and reached around him to grab the coffee creamer.

“I know I said it last night, but I’m so glad Eddie makes you happy, Ev.” Buck hugged her, knowing how much those words meant, and finally started on making breakfast for the two of them.

“He does,” Buck said, still able to hear Eddie’s laugh from last night in his head. “He really does.” Buckley nights continued to exist and Buck could only hope that he would continue to blab about his boyfriend during them in the future.


	31. Chapter 31

**103\. Outlook**

Bobby

Bobby wasn’t overly fond of Buck’s new place. In the past, Bobby might have grown to like it; large windows, nice kitchen, plenty of space. It had the potential to have some great personality for an apartment. Now, with Buck just getting out of his cast and managing a giant brace, the place was more of a hassle. Buck was quiet, which wasn’t uncommon nowadays, and he let Bobby filter around him without complaint. Bobby unlocked the door and followed Buck in.

“Let’s get you settled on the couch.” Bobby suggested. He snagged a quick glance at the clock; Buck had another hour or so till he could get another dose of pain medication. Bobby wished it was sooner. Physical therapy had kicked off today, leaving Buck pale and sore, and the PT had made it clear that the first few sessions would hurt. No pain, no gain, Bobby thought ruefully. “Are you hungry?”

“Not really.” Buck answered. Bobby frowned. He didn’t like this. It was as if something had broken in his youngest firefighter.

“I can’t let you take the meds on an empty stomach, Buck.” Bobby reminded him. “How about something light? Just enough to make sure the medication doesn’t mess with you.” Buck shrugged and looked down, staring at the brace that seemed to swallow his leg.

The afternoon was quiet. Bobby made a light soup, something easy, and made sure to have plenty of leftovers. Buck ate it, and while that relieved some of the worry sitting in Bobby’s gut, it was clear that Buck was miles away. He gathered some things that Buck could have in his reach before he left; phone and the charger, a small stack of books that he found the last time he was there, a full water bottle, and the TV remote.

“Thanks, you know, for coming today.” Buck said. Bobby stopped what he was doing and gave Buck a smile.

“I didn’t mind, but you are welcome anyways.” Bobby answered easily. Buck didn’t need to know that he had to hedge out Eddie and Maddie’s own attempts to go. “I can go with you again this week, if you want?”

“If you want too.” Buck gave him a smile and Bobby didn’t feel comforted by it; it didn’t reach Buck’s eyes and the whole thing seemed hollow. Bobby thought about it the whole drive home.

Hen

“She is a lot stronger than I would have thought.” Hen was walking at an easy pace, keeping in mind that they were taking the longer way back to the car, not because she wanted the extra steps but because Buck had picked the route. “She has to be what, 5’3? 5’4?”

“I guess.” Buck said, pausing to adjust his grip on the crutches. Hen knew that there had been talk of a cane, at least for a little while, to aid with the walking. “She’s managed to hold me up and she hasn’t let me fall on my ass yet.” Hen smiled as they turned the corner. There was some of that spunk she had been missing these past few weeks.

Today had been alright; more stretches, a little more standing and weight bearing, and Hen had to bite back her own comments when some of the exercises made Buck flinch.

“I think it’s in her job duties to prevent that, Buck.”

She convinced Buck to come with her for a coffee run, a ploy to get him out a little longer, with the added bonus of convincing him to eat something. It didn’t escape her knowledge that Bobby had been stockpiling Buck’s fridge when he was over. Pulling out her phone after she helped get Buck settled inside and she was sitting in her car, Hen tapped on the group chat, and typed out a quick update. >>> Went a little better today.

<<< How’s his mood? Think he would be alright with visitors?

Hen snorted at the quick reply from Eddie. “You are smitten, boy, just talk to him already.”

>>> I think it would be a good idea, he seemed a little spunkier today.

Those measurements, a little, somewhat better, slight improvement, Hen hated using them normally. She didn’t like that they were being used to describe her friend either.

Chimney

“Can we give him a minute?” Chimney knew that he had promised to be a silent presence, which had been hard enough, and he couldn’t do it anymore. Not when he could visibly see Buck shaking, biting the inside of his cheek, an obvious sign that he was in pain. “Please?”

“Look, we need to finish these sets.” The PT was a fill-in, as Buck’s normal one was out sick today, and Chimney did not like this therapist.

“And I understand that, but I don’t think you should be pushing your patient to the point of pain where they can’t even lift their leg.” Chimney hissed out.

“Can we stop for a second?” Buck asked. Chimney shot a glare at the PT and tried not to sit in a way that made it seem like he would fight anyone that got too close.

“How’s the pain?” Chimney inquired, taking stock of how Buck wasn’t even trying to put weight on his leg while seated, and the faint sheen on sweat on his face.

“’Bout a six.” Buck mumbled. A six for Buck was edging towards an eight or nine for anyone else. “I can keep going.”

“I know you can, Buckaroo, I just don’t want you to push yourself so hard right now that you can’t move for the rest of the day.” Chimney explained. He looked at the clock and saw they had less than fifteen minutes left in the session. “Maybe we can ask the guy to run through your stretches? Might help take the edge off.”

Since he was Buck, he forced himself through one more set and then moved onto the mentioned stretches. Chimney kept a steady stream of conversation throughout the drive home, keeping his hands off unless necessary, fully aware that Buck wanted to be more independent, especially after a PT session.

“What are you doing?” Buck asked, pausing as he slowly lowered himself onto the couch. Chimney tossed his stuff over the back of one of the kitchen chairs and grabbed the remote from Buck’s hands.

“I am going to take full advantage to show you some good movies.” Chimney replied, grinning at Buck’s groan, and clicked on the Netflix icon. “Now, since I’m feeling nice, Young Frankenstein or Monty Python?”

Eddie

“I can move up closer to the door.” Eddie said, again, feeling gutted at Buck shook his head. “Buck, I don’t mind, I just want to make it easier for you.”

“I can make it.” Buck told him, wincing as he shifted forward another inch. Eddie helped him, and they eventually got to the point where Buck was finally standing, even if all his weight was currently against the side of the car. “Fuck.”

“Let’s pause for a second, just take a breath, Buck.” Eddie could feel him trembling.

Today hadn’t been a good day; Buck hadn’t slept the night before, the pain was already bad even before they got to the outpatient clinic, and Buck had progressed slowly through the session. “Come on, man, just relax a little for me.”

Eddie didn’t blink when he let Buck curl up as much as he could with his hands still on the crutches. Let him hide away for a few more minutes; Eddie spotted another tenant walking by, eyes curious, and Eddie stared them down, almost daring them to come closer or say something.

“Today sucked.”

“I know, Buck.” Eddie soothed. “You ready to try walking to the door?”

“I guess.” Buck often got quieter after the end of a session, something that he had been warned about ahead of time, but it never got easier to witness. Eddie was already getting a game plan together as they made the slow trek up the stairs.

“You don’t have to stay.”

“I’m staying.”

“Eddie, you gotta ha-“

“I want to stay.” Eddie stated, hand clenching a little from where it was planted against Buck’s back. “So, let me stay, alright?” Buck kept looking at him, eyes searching for something, and Eddie didn’t blink. Carla had Christopher, his shift wasn’t for another eight hours, and Buck was here in front of him.

“Okay.” Buck said finally. Eddie nodded, relieved, and they continued to make their way indoors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is doing well and staying busy, as much as you can be during this, leave a comment if you want :


	32. Chapter 32

**75\. Index finger**

“Do I even want to know?” Bobby asked with a sigh. He could feel a headache coming up. Chimney stood before him, grinning, as much as anyone could while covered in bright, pink glitter.

“It’s the latest craze.” Chimney chirped. “Glitter bombs. People put them in letters, packages, everywhere.”

“All the kids are doing it.” Hen chimed in.

Bobby let out another long sigh. Hen was covered green glitter, half of which was on the floor around her, and Bobby could already hear Eddie bitching in his head. It was the man’s turn to be on cleaning duty for this week’s chores and Bobby could see that the glitter was sticking to everything it touched. What had Buck called it once, bitch glitter? Just as he was about to start his lecture on appropriate workplace shenanigan's, there was a shout from the locker room, and Chimney begun to laugh. Buck came out, face and chest covered in bright orange glitter, eyes narrowed in on Chimney.

“Oh, it’s on, Chim.” Buck said. Chimney shook his head.

“Not me, man, that one wasn’t me.”

“I gotta say, Buck, orange is a good color on you.” Hen said.

Bobby shook his head and accepted defeat as the three of his recruits dissolved into, frankly, childish bickering. Bobby left with the orders to have the station glitter free by the end of the day and headed up to the loft. Eddie opened his mouth when he caught sight of him and Bobby held up a hand.

“Nope, do not say anything, Diaz. I don't care if you are involved or not, get down there and help clean up the mess.”

Bobby stared at Eddie for a second and the other man caved, heading down to the main floor. Rubbing his forehead, Bobby headed for the coffee machine; one cup was not going to be enough to get through this shift.

XXX

“It’s supposed to have the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee!”

That was what Bobby was greeted with as he entered the loft. Buck and Eddie were locked in some debate, the blonde holding an apple in his hands, while the brunette was clutching his coffee mug for dear life.

“I call bullshit on that. Also, I am not giving up my morning coffee for a freaking apple. What is that going to do for me?”

“It’ll keep the doctors away.” Buck held the apple out. “You need more fruit in your diet.”

“My diet is fine.”

“Not according to my sources.”

“And who are your sources again? Christopher?”

“He told me that you insisted that fruit snacks are close enough to actual fruit.” Buck said. “You know that most of those things are mainly sugar, right?”

“So is a piece of fruit.”

“It’s healthy sugar. Now take the apple.”

“No.”

Bobby debated turning around and leaving, but he was in need of caffeine this morning, so he took a breath and tried not to get the attention of the pair, and ventured into the kitchen. He grabbed his coffee, and snagged the apple from Buck’s hand, before heading off to his office. Sometimes he swore he was managing a bunch of toddlers, not trainer firefighters.

XXX

“And this is meant to be cool?” Bobby asked at a loss. Chimney huffed and hit the replay button on his phone.

“It’s called Tik Tok. Everyone is doing it.” Chimney explained again. “Hasn’t May shown you?”

“No, she hasn’t.”

“Well, I’m kinda disappointed in that. Not even Buck showed you this and he’s all over social media stuff.” Chimney said.

Bobby looked down at the new book he had been hoping to get through during the slow parts in their shift. The peace and quiet he had been looking forward too was gone when Chimney barreled in.

“What is the point of all this, Chim?” Bobby attempted to redirect the conversation.

“We should make a team one!”

“A team what?”

“A team tik tok! It’ll be so cool!” Bobby blinked and slowly nodded. He would have May explain this to him when he got home. “Sure, if you want to, Chimney.”

“You’re just saying this to appease me.” Chimney groaned and got up. “I’m gonna convince Hen and Buck. If I get Buck on board then we can get Eddie.”

With that, the man skipped away, leaving Bobby with a puzzled look on his face.

XXX

“Oh, my god, ew, no!” Hen cried out as Eddie gave her a hug. The man was covered in mud and dirt from a previous call, and now soaking wet from the water they used from the hoses. “Buck, come get your man!”

“Just let him get it out of his system, Hen, it’s better for everyone.” Buck said as he packed things away in the truck. Hen swatted at Eddie’s face as he laughed.

“Buck, boy, I will kick your butt if you don’t come collect your boyfriend in the next three seconds.”

“Hands are full, Hen, he’s yours.”

“Buck!”

“It’s like watching a bunch of children on the playground.” Athena muttered. Bobby, who was used to this at this point, could only nod his head. “Are they always like this?”

“Would it surprise you if I said yes?”

They both looked back to the other three when Hen started laughing, witnessing Eddie hugging into Buck’s back, getting him covered in the grim, and gloating about her future revenge.

“We’re the adults in this situation, aren’t we?” Athena finally realized.

Bobby didn't bother to tell her otherwise, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, before telling his wife goodbye, and ordering his team back into the trucks. He could hear them bickering from the headset as he drove them all back to the station.

XXX

“I’m only going to ask this once.” Bobby began. The four of them were standing in front of him, in various stages of being wet, not meeting his eyes. “Who started this?”

Slowly, Buck raised his hand.

“I meant to aim for Eddie, but I accidently got Chimney.”

“Accident my ass.” Chimney complained. “I was twenty feet away from Eddie.”

“You aimed for me no problem.” Hen said.

Bobby rubbed his eyes; it was only hour three into a 24-hour shift. No calls yet, which left them all looking for stuff to do, and Bobby sent them off to clean down the trucks. He should have known something was going on when it went silent in the truck bay area.

“I don’t care who started it. I don’t care who got who.” Bobby lectured. “I want these trucks cleaned, and they better be spotless, and this mess dealt with.” He pointed to the endless puddles and suds on the floor around them. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, Bobby.”

“Sorry, Cap.”

“We’ll pick it up.”

“Won’t happen again.”

Bobby held their gazes for another moment, a trick he had learned that worked well with bringing some order back to his team, and nodded. He waved his hand at them.

“Dismissed, now get to work.” Bobby said, walking away, already feeling a headache brewing. He stopped by the stairs, answering Athena’s text message, and listened in to the hushed conversation on the other side of the fire truck.

“Way to go, Buck, you just got all of us in trouble.”

“I didn’t do anything! You’re the one that threw the suds bucket.”

“Well, Hen and I are the bystanders in this situation.”

“Bystanders, my ass, Eddie, you tipped that bucket over my head.”

Bobby was the Captain of a crew of literal adult-children. How was this his life?


	33. Chapter 33

**35\. Pole**

It happened to come up on a call. They were just finishing up taking care of a stove fire, thankfully no one was injured and all that needed to be dealt with was the ruined kitchen wall, and Buck was in the middle of a conversation with Hen.

“Evan?” Buck turned, quickly spotting a man walking over to him, and his brain supplied him with the name after a moment.

“Jackson, hey!” The other man didn’t waste any time, pulling him in for a brief hug, and Hen raised an eyebrow. “I thought you moved back to Ohio?”

“Nah, I ended up getting that insurance job. Decided to stay here.” Jackson said. “You seem to have done pretty well yourself.”

“Buck, who’s your friend?” Chimney asked, coming over as he tried to tame his sweat soaked hair; it didn’t work out that well, instead having the strands stand up in some form of a mad scientist look.

“Name's Jackson, Evan and I used to work together.” Jackson shot Buck a smirk. “Ended up getting hired at the same time and we both tried to figure out LA since we came from the East Coast.”

“And old co-worker, huh? Where did you use to work?” Hen questioned.

Jackson shared a look with Buck and the blonde shrugged. He wasn’t ashamed of his past jobs, it put money in his pocket, and Buck knew it wouldn’t be a long-term job. Granted, working certain jobs tended to make other people nervous or judge more harshly.

“Evan and I used to work at Muriel’s for, what, a year?”

“I think so.” Buck wasn’t sure on the time they spent there, working weird hours, and then crashing to sleep when they could. “Jackson was finishing school and I was going through the academy. The night job worked well for our schedules.”

Chimney and Hen were staring at him and Buck fidgeted, feeling his neck getting red, and suddenly Buck wasn’t sure that telling his friends was such a good idea. The thing was, when you are a young twenty-year-old, less than a grand in your bank account, and a strong desire to avoid going home at all costs, you’ll take any job. Muriel’s was an upscale night club that had one main attraction for the surrounding area: pole dancing.

See, Buck was tall, enjoyed a challenge, and according to the lady he auditioned for, “You have mile long legs, you’ll have people drooling in no time.” He and Jackson tried out on the same day and got hired on the spot. Being from similar states, they bonded quickly, and became friends throughout the year they worked there.

“We need to get together some time, catch up and all that, I think some of the old gang is in the area.” Jackson whipped out his phone, easily taking Buck’s number, and Buck caught Bobby waving them over.

“I’ve gotta go, we’ll have to figure out a time.” Buck said. Jackson nodded eagerly and Buck headed into the truck.

Chimney and Hen continued to give him weird looks, and Buck figured that they would talk about in the truck, but they didn’t. Buck took the time to quickly shower when they got back and then headed into the kitchen for a light snack. Chimney noticed him and beckoned him over.

“So, are we allowed to ask questions about it?” Chimney was trying to look nonchalant and failed miserably. He looked too eager.

“Go for it, Chim.” Buck sighed as he placed a bagel in the toaster.

“So you worked at a club, what did you work as, a waiter? You weren’t able to bartend yet, right?” Chimney asked.

“Ya, besides I didn’t apply to be on the waitstaff.” Buck paused, trying to figure out how to word it, before deciding to just be blunt. “Jackson and I were pole dancers.”

“Excuse me, what?” Chimney and Buck whipped their heads to see Eddie and Hen standing there, Eddie’s mouth open, and Hen looking delighted.

“I knew you had some exciting past jobs.” Hen said gleefully. “I wouldn’t have pegged pole dancing for one.”

“It isn’t that big of a deal, Hen, I didn’t do it for that long.” Buck insisted.

He was subjected to a variety of questions; how he stumbled on the job, how good was he, was the place he worked at safe? Buck tried to keep up, answering the questions as they came, and for each one he answered, three more questions appeared. Buck was grateful when the shift was over until he remembered that he was going home with Eddie since they had carpooled.

“So, pole dancing, huh?” Eddie finally broke the silence in the car. Buck huffed and slouched in his seat.

“Yes.”

“How old were you?”

“Uh, twenty? Most of the dancers there were under twenty-five.” Buck said. “It was fun, being around people your own age, almost like working with your friends.”

“You didn’t get hurt doing this?” Eddie asked as they spotted at a red light. Buck frowned and Eddie pressed his lips together. “No one tried to touch you, did they?”

There were some…handsy customers, manly drunk patrons that didn’t understand the concept of personal space, and Buck usually let the bouncer deal with them. Two dancers were on the stage at a time and they watched one another’s back.

“People tried and they didn’t get far.” Buck admitted. “We had good security and the rest of us looked after each other.”

Eddie didn’t seem happy with the answer and he was surly for the rest of the evening. Christopher must have picked up on it, asking Buck if Eddie had had a bad day, and Buck tried reassure Chris that everything was alright.

“Okay, we need to talk about this.” Buck blurted out after Chris was tucked into bed. Eddie paused from where he was viciously scrubbing a plate in the sink.

“I don’t like thinking of you like that.”

“Like what?” Buck asked. Eddie put the plate down, drying his hands on the kitchen towel, and turned to face Buck.

“Working in a seedy place, dressed in lewd clothes, and having to stop creeps from touching you.” Eddie ranted. Buck blinked and sat down in one of the chairs.

“Alright let’s start unboxing all of this. First of all, it wasn’t a seedy place, it’s an upscale club that is easily one of the best in LA. Security there is awesome and none of us ever felt unsafe.” Buck rubbed his face. “I wasn’t wearing lewd clothing. My boss wanted us to be comfortable, but I did wear shorts, nothing fancy.”

“You only did this for a year?”

“Just under a year. I got accepted to the academy just before the holiday’s and started cutting my hours down as it got more intense.” Buck explained. “I knew I wouldn’t do it forever, Eddie, it was a job that kept me from ending up on the street.”

“Could you, you know, still do it?”

“Pole dancing?” Buck asked. He wasn’t ashamed of it; he liked dancing to the music, goofing off with his co-workers behind the scene, learning new routines and tricks. Eddie nodded and Buck spotted a blush forming on his cheeks.

Interesting.

“Probably.”

“And you wouldn’t go back to it?”

“I might try it again for fun in a class.” Buck said simply. “Not for work, though, I’m done with that part of my life.”

“Would you, um, show me? Sometime?” Eddie stuttered out. Buck leaned back in his chair, intrigued, and slowly nodded.

“Sure, you might like it, a lot of the moves are fun to do.”

“Um, what about shoes?” Eddie was looking down at his feet. Buck waited him out. “Did you wear shoes?”

“You could, most of the girls wore heels, us guys went barefoot.”

“But you could, you know, wear shoes?” Eddie finally met his eyes. There was something there that made Buck feel like he was being dissected.

“You asking if I ever put on a pair of heels, Diaz?” Buck teased. Eddie swallowed, shifted against the counter, and slowly nodded his head. “A few times, made the dances sexier and got me plenty of tips.”

“Um, excuse me.” Eddie exclaimed, rushing to the bathroom, and Buck pretended he didn’t laugh when he heard Eddie growl into the phone before the door shut.

“He wore heels, Hen, how the hell am I supposed to get that image out of my head?” Eddie cried.

Buck had to press both his hands over his mouth to try and contain his laughter. Then he pulled out his phone and started searching pole dancing classes in LA; he had some money set aside and one best friend to bring along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And more things are cancelled and my brother will continue online schooling until May 20... at this point, why don't we just forget 2020 and restart the year? Sound good? 
> 
> Hope everyone is staying safe, healthy, and sane. Leave a comment if you want :)


	34. Chapter 34

**58\. Suntan**

Eddie woke up with a little knot of apprehension when the alarm went off. Buck groaned beside him, rolling away from Eddie’s side to burrow into the covers, and Eddie fumbled to hit the off button. It was Saturday, the sun was already out, and Eddie fumbled with the blankets as he dragged himself out of bed. Normally, he would be happy to have a Saturday off, spending it with his two favorite guys, but they were doing a family/team day, so Eddie needed to start getting things together.

They were going to the beach and Eddie would be a liar if he said he wasn't nervous.

When it was first suggested, Eddie had refused flat out; Christopher had just recently started getting more comfortable with larger bodies of water and Buck hadn’t willingly gone near water outside of work since the tsunami. Of course, he ended up in an argument with Chimney and Bobby, which spilled over to Hen, and his poor boyfriend didn’t stand a chance when he greeted Eddie after his shift was done. Buck endured his pacing, tight hugs, and the endless conversations about the topic.

To say that Buck was anxious was an understatement; the following night resulted in another nightmare, which Christopher seemed to pick up on it, and he clung to Buck’s side that morning. In the end, it was Christopher that got Eddie to cave in.

“I’ll have Buck with me, Daddy, so we’ll be super safe.” Christopher’s faith in that concept, that if he was with Buck nothing would ever happen to him, never failed to stun Eddie and render Buck speechless. “I wanna try going to the beach.”

Understanding that the day was bound to be a tad more stressful that normal, Bobby found a smaller expansion of beach that was no where near where the tsunami had hit. They decided to go in the early morning, stay still late afternoon, and then return to Bobby and Athena’s for dinner. Eddie gathered their bags, trying to be quiet in an effort to let Buck get some more sleep, and kept an ear out for Chris. Eventually, Christopher’s bedroom door opened and he made his way into the master bedroom, patting Buck’s arm until the man picked him up onto the bed.

“Morning, Bucky.” Christopher said, pressing a kiss to Buck’s cheek, and settled into his side.

“Morning, Superman.” Buck replied, voice heavy with sleep, and returned the kiss to Christopher’s head. “You still sleepy?”

“Wanna cuddle with you.”

“You two can cuddle while I get the coffee going.” Eddie didn’t want to ruin their lazy morning, but they needed to get going, and if he gave in then his boys wouldn’t leave the bed until noon. “Eggs alright with you two?” Getting two sounds of agreement, Eddie walked to the kitchen and began breakfast; he wasn’t the skilled cook Buck was, but he made a mean batch of eggs. He was just finishing up when Buck came into the kitchen, Christopher perched on his hip, uncharacteristically clingy this morning.

“How are you two feeling this morning?” Eddie asked, doling out food, coffee and juice, and forehead kisses.

“We’re alright.” Buck answered, setting Chris down, allowing Eddie to grab the coffee creamer and doctor his coffee. “We are going to take it easy today and if it gets too much then we’ll tell you, right Chris?”

“Uh-huh. Buck said that no one wou-would be mad if we nee-needed to stop.” Christopher sounded like they had had a previous conversation about this. Breakfast went by quietly, Eddie shooting worried looks when he didn’t think he would be noticed, and then they spread out to get dressed.

The drive to the beach wasn’t long, not by LA traffic standards, and Eddie couldn’t stop himself from holding Buck’s hand the entire time. Christopher seemed oblivious to the tension in the front seats, talking about the newest LEGO set to hit the market, and Buck was able to converse with him. Eddie tapped the steering wheel, wondering if he should turn around now, and then decided not to. Buck and Christopher wanted to try, and with the entire team being there, it seemed like the best time to go for it. It didn’t mean that Eddie wasn’t thinking about running for the hills with both his boys in his arms; didn’t want to think about the upcoming nightmares, tears over bath time, hidden panic attacks because the memories of being separated were too close to the surface.

Only Hen and Karen were there when they pulled up, Denny eagerly waving at them, and soon he and Christopher were talking a mile a minute while Buck and Eddie gathered the stuff from the trunk.

“You’d think they would run out of that endless energy.” Karen said, readjusting her grip on the beach chairs, while they walked down to the sand. Eddie could tell when it finally hit Buck, his steps slowing down the closer they got to the end of the walkway, and Christopher double backed, arms reaching for Buck the moment the man switched the bags to his opposite hand. In one fluid motion, Christopher was held in one arm, smaller hands already grasping Buck’s shirt.

“Can we stay on the sand?” Christopher asked, more like whispered, and Eddie stopped, pulling the pair off to the side. Hen had stopped too, face pinched in concern, and Eddie waved her down.

“Ya, bud, we can stay on the sand.” Buck told him. “Hey, we’ll do it together, alright?”

“Daddy can play I spy with us.” Buck’s face contracted, as if he was trying hard not to let it show just how much it affected him, and Eddie dropped the bags so he could use his arms; one hand came up to touch Christopher’s curls, the other wrapped around Buck’s waist. Chris didn’t know that the game was the way Buck prevented him from seeing the floating dead in the water.

“Sure, you think he’ll be able to keep up with us?” Buck tried to joke, voice still wobbly, and Christopher nodded. “Think we’re ready to hit the sand?”

“Let’s do it.”

The trek down was slow, as Christopher refused to let go of Buck, and soon they came to the spot where Hen and Karen had set up their things. For a long moment, Christopher and Buck just stared at the water, then the two started to move. Christopher helped with the beach blanket, then allowed Eddie to slather sunscreen on him, and in return got to help Eddie and Buck put theirs on. The others showed up, Chim and Maddie totting a giant cooler, Bobby and Athena following behind them with Harry.

The kids eventually decided to bust out one of the frisbees and soon enough they were all playing. When that got old, they started to go into the water, Chimney and Maddie running in, Denny being held up by Karen and Hen. Athena and Bobby had decided to go up to their knees, watching Harry, leaving Eddie and Buck on the sand with Christopher. The boy was in the process of making a sandcastle, occasionally asking Buck to help, and Eddie was content watching from his spot on the towel.

“I don’t think I’ll go in the water.” Eddie almost jumped at the sound of Buck’s voice. “Don’t want to risk it.”

“That’s okay.” Eddie knew precious few details about that day. What he did know was that it had been a good day before, a normal day, and it quickly turned into a nightmare. “I don’t fancy rinsing salt water out of my hair anyway.”

“Buck, help me with the tower!” Christopher was smiling, hair a wild mess due to the breeze, and Buck moved forward to assist with the construction of the sandcastle. Eddie snapped a few pictures, wanting to savor the moment, before making his way over to them. They never made it to the water’s edge, choosing to remain near the blankets, and Eddie didn’t push the issue. The others didn’t either, accepting that even being so close to the ocean was enough of a step, and roped Buck and Christopher into games of frisbee, tag, and catch. The children decided to make another sandcastle together, leaving the adults to sort out lunch, and then it was nothing but smiles and laughter as they ate together. Eventually, they began the slow process of picking up, shaking out the sand from the beach towels, and listening to Chimney complain about probable sunburns.

This time, the car ride to Bobby and Athena’s was livelier; Buck had the radio playing and was singing, which had Christopher in a fit of giggles from the back seat. Eddie was grinning and he didn’t even notice when the anxiety from earlier left him as he parked his car on the side of the road. As proud as he was, and he was extremely proud of his boys, Eddie was happy to leave the beach behind. Just another thing tainted by a horrible experience. The trio made sure that as much sand as possible was off them before entering the house.

Christopher left their sight easily then, familiar in this home, and Buck was quickly snagged away by Bobby to the kitchen. Eddie didn’t follow, understanding that having a little space was good, and that Bobby needed to ensure that everything was alright as well. He talked with Athena, played a few rounds of some video game with Harry, and when he had a free moment was checking in on his son and boyfriend.

When they got home, Christopher nearly asleep in Eddie’s arms as Buck unlocked the door, his son sleepily asked to sleep with them. It wasn’t a strange request, Christopher often wanted to sleep in the big bed following a nightmare, and Eddie didn’t see the harm in it. Their nighttime routine went quickly, showers that had no sign of tears, pajama’s going on without a fuss, and Eddie was feeling so good that he didn’t mind that Christopher got three stories before turning off the light. He woke up in the middle of the night, shifting his position, to find Christopher curled up against him, hands around Buck, who was in turn curled around Eddie and Chris. Closing his eyes, Eddie snuggled in closer, proud of Buck and Chris, and grateful that the tsunami hadn’t taken his boys away from him.


	35. Chapter 35

**81\. Teach**

“Seriously? You’re in your thirties and you never learned to ride a bike?” Buck shook his head, giving Chimney a said look, before resuming his job of loading the dishwasher. “That’s sad, man, everyone should know how to ride a bike.”

“Well, do you know how to ride one?” Chimney threw back. Buck looked up, hand full of utensils, and smirked.

“Yes. Maddie taught me when I was, like, six? We didn’t live close to any of the bus routes and it was a four mile walk to the school. Biking was easier.”

That made Chimney want to ask more about that, such as why their parents weren’t taking them to school, but he let it go. It was a slow day, only a few easy calls in the morning, and now they were getting through the list of house chores. They had gotten onto the subject of bikes when Buck had shown a few pictures to Eddie before he left to go deal with the trucks; Christopher was growing and his adapted bike was getting a bit too small. Buck, as usual, was doing plenty of research on the newest models and how they might work for Chris.

“I just never learned.” Chimney said. Buck sighed and closed the dishwasher.

“Well, now we need to teach you. Like I said, everyone needs to know how to ride a bike, it’s a life skill.” Buck was adamant and Chimney knew he shouldn’t have opened his mouth.

“I don’t own a bike.”

“I’ve got one.” Buck said easily. “I can adjust it. Eddie’s got one as well, that might work out a little better since you’re closer in height.”

“Close in height to what?” Bobby asked as he came into view.

“Chim doesn’t know how to ride a bike!”

“I never had a chance to learn!”

“Well, no time like the present.” Bobby chuckled. “It’s easy, Chim, you’ll pick it up quick.”

Four days later, Chimney found himself at one of the nearby parks, Buck adjusting the pedals and handlebars, Eddie occasionally chiming in. He had pleaded to Maddie, figuring that she could get Buck to let it go, which she didn’t; if anything, she was actively encouraging it.

“You’re the worst.” Chimney complained that morning. Buck had already reminded him twice that they were meeting at the park, as if Chimney would purposefully forget, and if he tried to hide Buck would totally show up at their place and drag him out.

“It won’t be that bad. I survived teaching Buck and he’s been riding for years. Plus, Eddie will be there.” Maddie didn’t seem fazed as he was slowly putting on his shoes and gathering his wallet and keys. Almost as if Chimney wasn’t getting ready to march to his own demise. To top it all off, it was his day off, so he couldn't use work as an excuse. “Once you learn we can go on rides together. It’ll be fun!”

Now, looking at the bike, Chimney was trying to find the fun in all of this. Christopher, who had been leaning over Buck’s shoulder, walked over to him.

“Daddy taught me to ride.” Christopher lifts a hand to pat his forearm. “It’s fu-fun. Even when you fall.”

“Okay, get over here, Chim. I need to see if I need to go up another notch.” Buck called him over and Chimney rolled his eyes.

“I’m not that short, Buck.”

“It’s not about being short. I want to make sure you can get your feet on the ground if you forget to use the hand brakes.” Buck locked eyes with him and tried to look stern while holding a wrench. “Which will happen, fair warning. Try not to go over the handles of my bike, okay?”

Eddie was trying, and failing, to contain his delight in the situation. Christopher watched with wide eyes, often giving Chimney encouragement from the sidelines, as Chimney first tried to get his balance just sitting on the bike. Once that was established, and the basic concept of the brakes were explained, he attempted to peddle out. Four failed attempts, and one bruised right knee later, Chimney was ready to go home.

“Maddie can kiss it better when you see her.” Christopher smiled as they took a break. “Daddy says you have to kiss it to make it feel better.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her when I see her tonight, Christopher.”

“Come on, you almost got it.” Eddie pulled him up, giving a light shove towards the bike, and Chimney glared at it. Envisioned it going up in flames from the heat of his glare. Then he stopped because not only would Buck be pissed, then he would have to deal with the pair of sad blue eyes. Buck knew how to work the puppy dog eyes and Chimney was fully aware that he was a weak-willed man to anyone with Buckley genes.

“It shouldn’t be this hard.”

“You’re doing really well for your first time.” Buck said from his side. “I went over the handle bars my first time.”

“Seriously?” Eddie asked. Buck shrugged.

“We lived on a hill, Eddie, and I was using Maddie’s bike at the time. She was taller than me and I hit a rock or something.” Buck moved Chimney’s hand so he could get a better grip. “Hey, I didn’t need the hospital so it was a win.”

“We need to put you in bubble wrap.” Eddie muttered.

“Alright, remember, head up, keep your balance, and feet down or use the hand brake if you need to stop.” Buck reminded him.

Chimney lasted longer than the last time before he lost his balance and went falling to the left. He groaned, letting Eddie take the bike, and Buck offered him a hand.

“You went even further this time!” Christopher cheered as they walked back.

“He’s getting there, bud, he’ll be keeping up with us in no time.” Buck said to Christopher. “Still have all your body parts, Chim?”

“I would tell you something adult-like, but there are little children present, and I don’t want Eddie to kill me later.”

“It’s alright, Chimney, Daddy swears in Spanish all the time.” Christopher says, unaware of the shocked expression on Eddie’s face since his back is to his father.

“Come on, enough stalling, let’s go again.” Buck all but manhandled him back onto the seat. The rest of the afternoon went like that; getting little stories and laughs from one another, Chimney slowly getting better, and Christopher giggling as the adults bickered with one another.

“I’m starving.” Chimney said, stretching out in the grass alongside Christopher. “I vote we go for lunch.”

“There’s a good Thai restaurant down the road.” Buck offered. “I think you’re done for the day, Chimney.”

“My knees will disagree with you. I can totally keep going.”

“Ten minutes ago, you said that your ass was numb and it would never recover.” Buck pointed out.

“Bucky, that’s a bad word, you gotta put a dollar in the jar when we get home.” Christopher said, scandalized, and Eddie snorted in an effort to laugh.

“You’re right Chris.” Buck swung the boy up to stand, as Chimney and Eddie got to their feet, and grabbed the bike. “Let me go put this back in the truck then we can walk over. It’s a nice enough day.” Christopher walked with Buck as Eddie and Chimney brought up the rear.

“It’s not that bad.” Chimney finally admitted.

“It just takes a little practice.” Eddie reassured him. “Don’t be surprised if you find a bike under your tree this Christmas.”

“You think he’d do that?” Chimney asked. He wouldn’t put it past Buck; one year, he and Athena had gone on a massive hunt for one of the gifts for Harry. They had gotten it, but not before they went seven towns over and Buck had to sweet talk an older lady into giving him one of the dozens she had in her cart.

“It’s not Buck you got to worry about.” Eddie teased. “Buck’s been talking to Maddie.”

“Oh, no.”

“So, I would let her know what color you want it in.”

“Oh, no, come on, my ass is still numb.”

“I’m sure you can get a modified seat. Ask Buck, he knows all about that.”

“He would.” Chimney muttered. “Maddie’s always wanted to do one of those thirteen-mile bike rides along the coast. I’m gonna have to do that now, aren’t I?”

“I’ll send you the link for the bike seats. Sounds like you’re gonna need it.” Eddie said cheerfully. Chimney stuck his tongue out at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter everyone! Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. 
> 
> Just some light housekeeping things: first of all, this story is going to be finishing up around 38 chapters. I've got a ton of prompt ideas so I want to make a series with them. In addition to that, I've got some chapter stories lined up; one is 911 Lone Star based, the rest are 911, and since I love all the angst/whump stories, that is what they'll be. 
> 
> Finally, if you have access to tumblr, you should head over to ilostmyothersock; they are doing short posts about Maddie raising Buck with the rest of the 118 crew and it's adorable. 
> 
> Thanks again for all your comments! Seeing them makes my day :)


	36. Chapter 36

**29\. Diameter**

Athena noticed the lump one morning after she got out of the shower.

Toweling off, she paused, and readjusted her grip. She wasn’t a stranger to self-done breast exams and she felt confined in the space of the bathroom as her fingers circled the lump in her right breast. It was Thursday, Bobby was currently on a shift, Harry still sleeping, and May wouldn’t be coming home this weekend due to prior commitments at college. Even so, Athena wasn’t about to chance something like this; memories of Michael and his cancer treatments flooded her mind and she quickly dressed before pulling out her phone.

One call later, she had a scheduled appointment for the following day. Harry was none the wiser when he woke up, Athena wanting to keep this quiet until they knew something concrete, and Athena watched as he got on the bus for school. Work was good for her, allowing her to get her mind off of it, but she still felt unbalanced, wondering if she had it in her to put her family through this a second time. Michael had gone through so much and regretted the pain he had caused through no fault of his own.

Bobby knew something was going on, and Athena was grateful that they had grown close enough to communicate with only looks, not pressing her to talk until Harry was in bed. In the quiet atmosphere of their bedroom, Bobby was sitting on the side of the bed, and he waited until Athena was done getting changed.

“I scheduled a doctor’s appointment for tomorrow afternoon.” Athena could see Bobby’s worry, mouth already opening to ask questions, and she sat down next to him and took his hand. “I found a lump in my breast this morning.”

“Do you think…has anyone in your family had breast cancer?” Bobby choked out.

It was a dirty word in this house, the big bad c word, and Athena hated that she had put those thoughts and fears back into her husband’s head.

“Not that I know of. It isn’t a large lump and only in the one breast.” Athena knew that it didn’t mean much. After all, Michael’s tumor had started out with headaches, not uncommon, and they didn’t think too much of it since he suffered from migraines in the past.

“What time is the appointment? I’ll leave work early or go in late.” Bobby said.

“You don’t need to do that, Bobby.”

Athena knew that they were stretched thin at the moment at the firehouse. With Maddie and Chimney being confined to the hospital with their premature baby, Buck, Hen, and Eddie were helping to pick up the slack at the station since they were still waiting on a temporary replacement.

“I do need to do this. You are my wife, Athena, I’m not going to let you go through this alone.” Bobby argued. “I’m going with you. Now, what time is it?”

It was a pointless argument. The appointment was set for 10 o’clock in the morning, allowing them time to get Harry off to school, and Bobby was up and ready when her alarm clock began ringing at six. Breakfast was solemn, Harry giving them weird looks as he wolfed down his eggs, before rushing out the door. The drive to Athena’s GP was tense, Bobby trying hard not to let his anxiety show, and Athena found herself coiled tight with similar worries.

“Good morning!” The GP was chipper as she entered the room. Athena was clad in the typical hospital grab with Bobby close to her side. “How are you feeling today, Athena?”

“There’s a lump in my right breast.” Athena cut to the chase. “I want to make sure it isn’t anything serious.”

“Of course. This is your husband, yes?” The GP asked as she washed her hands.

“Just Bobby.” Athena snorted at that and Bobby gave her the first little smile she had seen all morning.

“Well, then, just Bobby, you are more than welcome to stay if your wife wants.” Finished with her task, the GP came over, standing in front of Athena. “Let’s take a look.” The GP wasn’t sure of the makeup of the lump, deciding to send Athena to a specialist for further testing the following week.

“I don’t want to scare you, Athena, I think that is better to be safe, rather than sorry.” She explained. “A biopsy would be the way to go.”

“What are the chances of it being benign?” Bobby asked.

“I can’t say for certain. However, since there is no previous history of breast cancer, and we caught this early on, I’m optimist.” The GP gave a reassuring smile to Athena. “I know that this is scary for you, so any concerns or questions you have, don’t be afraid to ask, alright?”

In the end, there is a biopsy. Athena asked Bobby not to mention it to anyone yet. No reason to worry anyone when it might not be anything. Besides, it wasn’t as if they weren’t already swimming in stress. According to Hen, Eddie was pulling more of the medical weight with Hen, leaving Buck and Bobby on the ground on the work front; on the home front, any extra time was spent helping Maddie and Chimney.

“Do you need anything?” Athena looked up from her book. Bobby had all but forced her into bed after picking her up from the outpatient center where the biopsy was done, making sure anything she could want was within reach, and he had been going back and forth between their bedroom and the kitchen.

“Seeing as how I have half of the kitchen cabinet near me, as well as plenty of books, all that is missing is the kitchen sink. Oh, and my husband, happen to know where he is?” Athena teased. Bobby didn’t smile and she flipped the covers over and patted the space beside her. “Come here, honey.”

“How are you so calm about this?” Bobby whispered.

“Oh, I’m scared shitless.” Athena admitted. “But I know being scared won’t help right now. No use worrying over something that might never happen.”

“It might.”

“If it happens, then we will get through it together, just like we did last time.” Athena made her voice firm. “We both know that timing isn’t anyone’s strong suit in this family, so it’s better to just roll with it.”

“I can’t lose you.”

“You won’t lose me.” Athena cupped his face. “Bobby, I am not leaving you without a fight. Now, go change, come back here, and let’s figure out a movie to watch.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

The two of them stayed close together, not speaking, and Athena didn’t rush him. They had too many close calls, too many nights spent wondering if they would be going to a funeral instead of a hospital room, too many thoughts that ended with one less chair at the dinner table. Bobby had stepped up with Michael and Athena knew she wouldn’t have made it through as strong as she had without him. The thought of him having to go through it for her was soul crushing.

“You’re right, I can’t.” Athena pulled back a bit so that she could see his eyes better. “I don’t want to focus on anything else but spending some time with my husband right now. Now, are you going to go get changed and cuddle with your wife, or not?”

The day the phone call came in was the longest day yet. Athena answered the call with bated breath, listening to the doctor speak, and felt her knees cave in when the results were negative. No sign of malignant cells, no sign of the horrible c word that had inflicted so much pain on her family. She was glad the living room was void of anyone, so she didn’t have to brush off the tears that fell on her face. Bobby was working on the ground floor when she pulled up to the station. He spotted her, which was hard to miss seeing as how she had the cop car, and greeted her by the bay doors.

“I got the call.” She said, after meeting Bobby’s kiss, letting him place his hands on her shoulders. “Negative.”

“Negative? There isn’t any cancer?” Bobby had practice at keeping his voice steady. Athena could tell, though, that he was barely keeping it together. He couldn't fall apart the way he wanted to, not at work, not when others depended on him. For the next seven hours, he was still Captain Nash, and was responsible for his fellow firefighters.

“No cancer.” Athena reassured him. “Everything is fine.” It wasn’t the reunion that they wanted at the current moment, as the alarm sounded, and Athena moved aside to let her husband do his job.

Later that night, after letting Harry and May know that everything had come back clean, Bobby finally gave in. It wasn’t anything over the top, just whispered words and gentle kisses in the dark, all of which Athena took in and gave back. It was a fear of both of them; loosing the other to a problem they couldn’t fix.

“I love you.” Bobby always said those three words with the same amount of reverence as he did the first time he uttered them to her.

“I love you, too.” Athena said, tucking herself close to him, letting him take in the feel of her body next to his, a physical reminder that she was still present with him. “I’m not going anywhere, Bobby, you aren’t getting rid of me that easily.”

“Good, I would expect nothing less from you.” Bobby kissed her again, rolling them so she was bracketed by his body, giving the allusion of him protecting her from the outside world. “You’re Athena Grant, you won’t let anything go without a fight.”


	37. Chapter 37

**49\. Unrest**

Eddie had always been a light sleeper; he had heard countless stories from his parents about how he never went down for a nap for more than an hour at a time when he was an infant. Christopher didn’t seem to inherit that trait, sleeping through any loud noises, and Eddie was glad for that since, as a new father, he was sometimes clumsy during the night. He blamed the Army training for how he slept as an adult.

He had a routine before heading to bed. Recheck the security system, double check the door to make sure it was locked, same with the windows, do a quick rundown of all the closed doors, and then finally a brief look-in on his son. If Christopher knew of his nighttime ritual, then he didn’t comment on it, which Eddie was fine with. Chris knew he had been a soldier, knew that somethings got scary in the words and understanding of a ten-year-old, and Eddie wasn’t prepared to have a more in-depth conversation about it until Christopher was older.

When he became friends with Buck, he was surprised to know that his best friend also had his own system for making sure everything was safe. Buck’s loft was open, something that always made Eddie on edge since there wasn’t anywhere you could hide, but the security system was top of the line. It didn’t escape him that Maddie and Chimney had the same system at their own home following the incident with Doug.

“I like the set-up.” Buck had told him one night after Christopher had passed out following a movie night. It was late, Eddie was tired, so Buck had picked Christopher up and put him to sleep on his own bed. “I can see everything that goes on here.”

“You also can’t hide anywhere.” Eddie pointed out. Coverage was a good thing, somethings the only reason you were alive during an ambush, and Eddie knew that Buck didn’t have many weapons in the house.

“Well, neither can anyone else that tries to come in.” Buck said with a huff. That had been the last they had talked about it and Eddie decided to take matters into his own hands; the metal bat appeared a week following their conversation, as well as another deadbolt on the front door. Eddie didn’t bother touching the security system, not wanting to accident trip it or incur Buck’s wrath, and even he knew it was the best one on the market.

So, the security and safety of his home and family was of high importance to Eddie. What he failed to talk about, or acknowledge beyond the walls of his bedroom, were that nightmares weren’t bothered by household measures. Eddie thought it would be a normal night; Christopher had begged Buck to come over, which Eddie wasn’t sure about, since the pair had just done a 16-hour shift the other day in addition to a 24-hour one today. Buck was dead on his feet, having been in the thick of the last few calls with Hen, and Eddie knew that he wanted to sleep.

However, Buck had caved, and Eddie drove them both back to his place; Buck still had clothes there and Eddite told Buck to order their usual from the pizzeria as they were in the car dealing with LA traffic. Carla greeted them at the door, Christopher beaming from ear to ear, and Eddie and Carla chatted as Buck was pulled father inside.

“The two of you look like you could use a few hours of sleep.” She smirked when Eddie yawned, resulting in his jaw cracking, and laughed. “Scratch that, maybe more than a few hours.”

“We have tomorrow off.”

The evening seemed to drag on. Eddie knew he was quiet and he caught the side looks Buck was throwing him. Christopher seemed to run out of steam just as they finished putting together the latest Lego creation, a series of tiny boats, and Buck told Eddie to relax as he took Christopher through his bedtime routine. Sleep evaded him; his bed was comfortable, the house was safe, but Eddie couldn’t turn his brain off.

Every sound seemed louder, and while the apartment wasn’t old, Eddie began to wonder if a particular sound was just new or a signal that someone was here that didn’t belong. He must have fallen asleep at some point. His dreams weren’t calm; there was sand in his face, something sticky on his hands, and he couldn’t hear anything over the sounds of artillery and yelling. He was running but not getting anywhere, frantic, he needed to find his unit before another round came in.

Something touched him, grabbed at his shoulder, and Eddie didn’t think. Spinning, he moved his arms up, and his body fell. The cold hardwood floor greeted his fall, the sound of his body hitting the wood echoing like a blast, and Eddie wretched his eyes open. He wasn’t in the middle of a battlefield. He was in his bedroom, pressed against his bed, chest heaving as his eyes scanned the area. Buck was in front of him, hands up and open, a few feet in front of him.

Neither of them moved for a bit, Eddie catching his breath, and eventually Buck started to talk.

“Everything’s alright, Eddie, you aren’t back there.” Buck didn’t raise his voice, keeping his eyes locked on Eddie’s, and Eddie wanted to move closer but his body wouldn’t listen. “You’re in your bedroom, with me, and Christopher is just down the hall. Little man is still asleep, if you can believe it.”

There was a bit of moonlight in the room, showing him the side of his bedside table and the left side of Buck’s face, highlighting the red mark on the back end of his jaw. Eddie let out a whimper, hands going out to bring Buck closer, and the blonde didn’t protest, shuffling on his knees until their legs were bumping one another.

“I hit you.” Eddie croaked out. “Oh, god, I hit you.”

“You reacted to what your mind and body perceived as a threat.” Buck gave him a gentle smile. “I’m alright, Eddie, there won’t even be a bruise in the morning.”

“I was back in Afghanistan.” Eddie said after some time. “I don’t usually react like this.”

“How do you usually act?” Eddie paused, not wanting Buck to worry more, but that ship had sailed. Buck was as close as Eddie could get him at the moment, eyes blown wide with concern, and he had placed himself on an angle as he sat before him. Half his body was aligned to Eddie’s, the other part towards the door, as if Buck was ready to put himself as a barrier between anything that might come at them.

“Usually I just wake up, sometimes I scream, but it takes me a while to realize where I am.”

Frank had suggested that they work on grounding exercises, something that Eddie could do when the nightmares came during the night, and Eddie hadn’t been the most cooperative with it. When your mind and body aren’t working together as they normally do, and you have to go through a list of grounding sentences, it seems more of a hassle then a help. Buck frowned and slowly moved his hand up to click on the table lamp. Soft light flooded the room, taking some of the tension still coiled in his body, and Eddie rested more of his weight against Buck.

“Remember what you told me after the tsunami?” Buck prompted. “You can call me if you need to. I would rather have you do that then try to suffer through a nightmare.”

“Pot meet kettle, Buck.” Eddie teased and Buck smiled at him, no heat in either of the words or actions.

“Whenever you’re ready, we can go check on Christopher.”

“And the security system?” Eddie was already twitching, body and mind wanting to ensure his family was safe, and Buck nodded.

“Sure, we can do all of that whenever you are ready.” Ready turned out to be several minutes later, Eddie pushing Buck behind him as they walked down the hallway, and it spoke to his best friend’s trust that he didn’t point it out. Christopher was sleeping soundly in his bed, soft breaths that had Eddie slumping in relief, and he gently closed the door as they left. Buck turned the lights on as they went, allowing Eddie to pull him along as he checked the door, windows, and the security system on the wall.

At a lost as to what to do now, Eddie stood still in the middle of the living room, before Buck gently guided him towards the kitchen. Two mugs of hot chocolate later, Eddie was curled up on the couch, Buck finding them something mindless to watch. Eddie sipped at his beverage, leaning more and more into Buck’s side as the show went on, and Buck eventually snagged the afghan off the back of the couch. Eddie felt drained, more than when he did when he got off shift, and he could see the dark smudges under Buck’s eyes. Thankfully, the red mark on his jaw was gone, no sight of a bruise, and Eddie was grateful for that; had Buck still been on blood thinners, he would have already been black and blue.

“You can go to sleep if you want.” Buck said. “If you want to go to your bed, we can, or we can stay here.”

“Staying with you.” Eddie slurred, exhaustion setting it, and he was aware enough to feel Buck taking his empty mug before it fell from his hands. “Keep you safe. You and Chris.”

“I know you will, Eddie.” Buck adjusted the blanket so it was covering his shoulders. “I just want you to sleep somewhere comfortable.”

“You’re soft.” Eddie turned his face into what he thought was Buck’s chest. “I’m staying with you.”

“Alright, Eds, we can sleep here.” Buck replied, fingers stroking his hair, lulling him back to sleep.

There were no further nightmares that night and Eddie slept soundly, waking up peacefully in the morning.


	38. Chapter 38

**82\. Incapable**

Buck honestly doesn’t think about his parents anymore.

There once was a time where he was consumed with thoughts of them, of how he could do something to finally make them proud, of spending late nights huddled under the covers, wondering what he had done wrong from them to just ignore him for days at a time. Now, Buck finds that his thoughts and days are consumed with other people in his life. He gets to work with some individuals that he can now call his family, gets to spend his free time and days off with Christopher or any of the other kids when it comes up, never having to think for very long if he’s in the right place anymore.

It’s been drilled into his head often enough now that he’s wanted and loved that he only ever doubts it during a particularly bad day.

That said, it’s about five months after he and Maddie met up with their estranged father when the call comes through. They are current on a scene, a house fire caused by a wayward firecracker, (it wasn’t even close to the fourth of July, and the man who set it off was playing dumb with Bobby and Hen), and he and Eddie were making sure the grounds were clear.

“I’m just saying, going to the sleepover camp might be good for him.” Buck said, beginning the process of gathering the hose up, Eddie following behind him with some of the other equipment.

“He’s too young to go to a sleep away camp.” Eddie replied. Buck rolled his eyes.

“He’s almost ten, Eddie, and you’ve let him go on sleepovers before. This isn’t much different from that.”

“Just that he’ll be forty minutes away, with people he doesn’t know, for five whole days.”

“It’s a camp designed for children with special needs. They have plenty of trained staff on site.” Buck thought it would be good for Chris, who had been pushing more and more for independence, and he had stumbled on the camp website by accident. They had a few months until the sign-up deadline and Buck was sure that he could convince Eddie that it was a good idea. Eventually they piled back into the truck, tired and sweaty, more than ready to get out of their gear and sink into any available soft surface. Buck didn’t bother looking at his phone until after he was done showering, trying to bring some sort of order to his locker, and he quickly glanced at his screen.

Nine missed calls from Maddie.

One from an unknown caller.

He was alone in the locker room, and he called Maddie back first, sitting down on the bench. He tried to remember if there was anything major going on, anything that could case Maddie to call during a shift; generally, they both had a rule: only to call during a shift if something was wrong.

“Hey, sorry I missed your call, we just got back to the station.” Buck greeted as the call connected.

“No, it’s alright, I just wanted to make sure you heard it from me first.” Maddie sounded like she had been crying. Buck didn’t like this.

“Heard what first?”

“You didn’t listen to any of my messages?”

“Maddie, we just got back and I felt gross. I needed to get cleaned up.” Buck paused. “Are you okay? What’s going on?” Maddie took a deep breath, which made Buck even tenser, understanding that something had indeed happened. He glanced quickly through the glass, not seeing anyone on the floor, and figured everyone was up on the loft.

“Evan, he died. Dad passed away last night.” For a second, Buck couldn’t comprehend the words. It was as if everything else around him went fuzzy, and even holding the phone in his hand felt foreign, and he curled his free hand into a fist, nails digging into his palm.

“He’s dead?”

“Mom called me this morning. Said it was due to secondary medical circumstances, not that she elaborated those to me, and wanted us to know.” Maddie explained. “She wants us to go to the funeral next week.”

“Guess he wasn’t kidding when he told us he’d be dead soon.” Buck felt numb and he looked at the clock mounted on the wall outside of the locker room. He still had four hours left until he was done with work. “I’m not going, Maddie, there’s no way I’m going.”

“Me either, I told Mom that, said we didn’t have any interest in going.” Maddie sniffled. “I know you have plans with Eddie tonight, but can you come over after work, please?”

Buck would have been over regardless; Eddie didn’t know much about the relationship with his parents, and what he did know was explained better in the unspoken things Buck said, so he never got angry or annoyed when Buck needed space with Maddie after talking about anything parent related.

“I’ll be there. I get off around six, we can do dinner, and then spend the rest of the night cursing the man.”

“I think that part is already done.” Maddie sounded as exhausted as he felt. “I should let you go, be safe, alright? I love you, Ev.”

“Love you, too, Mads.” Buck ended the call, noticing now that his hand was shaking, and dropped his phone down onto the bench. Face dropping into his hands, Buck closed his eyes, trying to process what he had just learned.

His Dad was dead.

Turning back to his phone, he unlocked it, clicked on his voicemails, bypassing the ones Maddie had left, and playing the one from the unknown caller.

“Evan, it’s Mom. I need you to call me when you get this. Your father is dead and you need to come for the funeral. It’s next week, on Tuesday, so I’ll expect you to return my call by the end of the day.”

That was it. He hadn’t heard from his Mom in over five years and now she comes out with this. Buck wanted to throw his phone, and instead of hurling it, returned it to his pocket; he couldn’t afford to replace it again. He knew Bobby was cooking, could smell it all the way over here, but he wasn’t hungry. To be fair, Buck was fairly certain any food he put in his mouth right now would taste like ash. He got up, finished up with putting his belongings away and closing his locker, before returning to the bay area. There were some minor chores that needed to be done and he began tackling them. He was almost done when he heard footsteps. Turning around, he spotted Bobby who gave him a look, and gestured to the loft.

“There’s a plate for you when you’re done.” Bobby said. Buck gave him a smile, knowing that it wasn’t up to par, and Bobby frowned when he saw how hollow it was. “Everything alright?”

“Everything’s good, Bobby, just a bit wiped, that’s all.”

His father was dead, struck down by whatever disease or illness he had, probably cursing him out for not saving his life. Did it make him an asshole, then, for not helping? He wondered if his mother had been there when he died or if she stayed away, only coming in during the last moments to appear as the grieving spouse.

“You sure? You were in the locker room for a long time, thought we might have to send someone in to find you.” Bobby said lightly. Buck bit down on his tongue, trying to find the words, before deciding to just come out and say it.

“Maddie called me.” Buck picked a point over Bobby’s shoulder. “Turns out my old man died last night. So, now we get to deal with that mess and the fact that our mom knows where we are now. She’s demanding that we go to the funeral and there’s no way Maddie or I are setting foot in Pennsylvania again.” Bobby didn’t say anything for a moment, allowing Buck the chance to close the open cabinets of the truck, before stepping forward and pulling him in for a hug.

Bobby gave good hugs, firm and warm, and he didn’t rush them. Buck wanted to break down, he could feel it in his eyes, and shoved it down. He would give in later, when he was safely behind closed doors and within touching distance of his sister, the only other people that could possibly understand what was happening. Bobby eventually let go, scanning his face, and Buck didn’t comment on it.

“I’m so sorry, Buck.” The sad thing was, Bobby meant it; he might not know his father, or what he did, and he was still sorry for the pain that it was causing him.

“Thanks.” Buck swallowed. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make a big deal about it, at least, not today. I don’t know if Maddie told Chim yet, and I still have to tell Eddie.”

“Whatever you need. Now, come on, I need to save the coffee machine from Eddie’s clutches and you need to eat.” Bobby clasped his shoulder, subtly steering him to the kitchen, and Buck let it happen.

His father was dead, his mother might try to pressure he and Maddie to go back to Pennsylvania, and he was sure there was a shit storm coming his way following the funeral. However, his family, his actual family, was here, and would judge him for wanting to keep his father separate from his life a little longer. For now, it was enough to keep him together, until he could safely fall apart, and put his father behind him for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that this collection is complete! I'll be starting the second one tomorrow. Hope everyone is doing alright and keeping positive, leave a comment if you want to, I love hearing from you guys :)

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave a comment or kudos if you want :)


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